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Major fire on the RAW site in Magdeburg: residents in excitement!
A fire on the RAW site in Magdeburg on August 19, 2025 caused smoke to develop. There were no injuries.
Major fire on the RAW site in Magdeburg: residents in excitement!
On Tuesday afternoon, August 19, 2025, a fire broke out on the site of the former Reichsbahn repair shop (RAW) in Magdeburg. Residents in the south of the city reported visible clouds of smoke rising over the area. Several fire engines were immediately dispatched to extinguish the fire. The police were also on site to investigate. The cause of the fire is currently unclear, but fortunately there were no injuries.
The RAW in Magdeburg, originally founded in 1899 under the name Royal Railway Main Workshop Salbke, played an important role in the history of German railway infrastructure. The factory was built to relieve the burden on the main workshop in Buckau and began operations in 1895. Over the years, the number of employees grew significantly and the factory developed into a center for the maintenance of freight and passenger cars.
History of the Reichsbahn repair shop
The RAW had its first major developments in the years after its founding. It was expanded as early as 1898/1899 due to the increase in the number of vehicles, and in 1912 the factory already employed 800 people. The First World War brought another wave of expansion when the factory also took on armaments-related tasks. However, the effects of the war and the years that followed were severe: in 1944 the factory was significantly damaged by an air raid, requiring extensive renovation.
After the war, operations resumed on May 10, 1945, and the plant continued to develop. It was incorporated into Deutsche Bahn AG in 1994 until it was finally closed in 1998. Since then, the site has stood unused and awaits new use. In 2012, a development plan for a solar farm project was initiated, and in 2022 new owners planned to develop the area into a residential area with 2000 new apartments and other facilities.
The RAW is not only an important part of Magdeburg's industrial history, but is also listed in the monument register of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The fire on August 19th now raises the question of what impact this incident could have on the planned development measures.