Original title
Feuer & Flamme
Released
5/15/2017
Origin country
DE
Genre
Documentary, Reality
Production companies
SEO Entertainment
Status
Returning series
Number of seasons
11
Number of episodes
73
This documentary series follows emergency services from various fire stations in the Ruhr area up close and portrays the people in their grueling everyday working life.
The Central Fire and Rescue Station 2 is the heart of the Gelsenkirchen fire department. For five months, the firefighters were accompanied in their everyday work as they responded to fires, technical assistance and medical emergencies. Firefighters in Gelsenkirchen respond to fires, technical assistance and medical emergencies on around 39,000 missions a year, more than 100 times a day. In order to ensure the greatest possible authenticity, Fire & Flame does not provide comment text. A total of ten of the approximately 100 firefighters from Station 2 have their say during and after their operations. This creates a genuine image of these “everyday heroes” that shows courage and determination as well as thoughtfulness and compassion.
Whether extinguishing a fire in a rubbish-filled apartment, during operations by the special diving unit or during rescue after traffic accidents on the motorway - up to 20 cameras were on site at the same time.
Suspicious smoke: food on the stove, car fire, dangerous goods truck has a leak, woman suspected of having a heart attack.
Seizure, diving operation, car accident, daycare fire rescue operation in Gelsenkirchen-Erle: A young man lies on the ground, spits blood, is unresponsive - there is a risk of suffocation.
The Gelsenkirchen fire department is called to a traffic accident to secure an accident vehicle. But once on site it quickly becomes clear that there is more to it than just fire protection measures.
Traffic accident on the highway: The person involved in the accident is trapped in the car, unresponsive and without a palpable pulse.
Explosion in Schalke - an apartment is completely on fire, rescue operations: suspected heart attack and water damage in a private apartment.
Operations: Traffic accident with a person trapped, person behind a closed door and suspicious smoke - food on the stove.
Kitchen fire in Erle, missing person in apartment and the annual bologna contest.
Christmas and New Year's Eve with the fire department! Also: A fox has to be caught, a traffic accident involving a heavily pregnant woman and a safe in the canal is recovered by the diving group.
The story of the Gelsenkirchen fire department continues in a total of nine episodes. WDR filmed the second season of FIRE & FLAME at two stations - the already well-known Buer fire and rescue station and the new Heßler station, which the fire department had only put into operation a few months previously. 70 days in a row, 24 hours a day – the FIRE & FLAME production team was once again filming at the fire department in Gelsenkirchen.
Fire in a residential building, child falling, Hacki's birthday and traffic accident on the highway.
Horse fell into a cesspit, rescue operation: suspected stroke, car fire and a basement fire in a residential building.
Cellar fire in Schalke, traffic accident after a chase, rescue operation in Gelsenkirchen-Horst and a major alarm in a paper factory.
Major operation at night, danger of explosion and an attempt at resuscitation.
Fire in a residential building, a risky emergency in a private apartment and a distressing traffic accident. And the fire brigade is called to a traffic accident: One person is said to still be in the car and trapped.
Thick smoke in an assisted living home, danger of explosion in the family home and the annual bologna contest.
Uncontrollable car fire, a missing woman, a rescue operation in a hair salon and a charred piece of toast.
A driver is injured in a rear-end collision, a woman complains of severe shortness of breath in the middle of the night, a truck driver loses control of his vehicle and a Tupperware container triggers a major alarm.
At around 3:00 a.m., an emergency call reached the control center of the Gelsenkirchen fire department, reporting a fire above a warehouse. When the emergency services arrived, they had no idea that they were facing one of the largest fires in more than 20 years. Another emergency call also turned out to be an annoying false alarm.
In the third season of the documentary series, the firefighters from the Bochum city center station and the main fire and rescue station in Bochum Werne are accompanied for the first time. The complex filming around the clock is made possible using so-called body cameras. The audience experiences first-hand how the protagonists put out fires, save people and live their everyday lives at the guard stations.
A fire in a residential building, a cut, an accident drill and an exotic snake in the garden. The operations of the Bochum fire station in the first episode of the third season. Flames are blazing from a residential building in the city center and some residents are believed to still be in the burning building. A race against time for the emergency services of the Bochum fire department. A young man has severed the tip of his finger in a kitchen accident. When he tries to drive to the hospital on his own, he blacks out and calls the control center. Turning accidents between trucks and cyclists are unfortunately a danger on the road. In order to be prepared for an emergency, the fire department is practicing this accident scenario. And in Bochum Langendreer, a snake in a couple's garden is causing a great deal of excitement!
Tragic swimming accident on the Ruhr, rescue operation: circulatory collapse of an elderly lady, firefighter trainees free bird, kitchen fire in an apartment building. The operations of the Bochum fire station in the 2nd episode of the 3rd season. Major operation on the Ruhr: In a tragic swimming accident, two men fall into the Ruhr and are in danger of drowning. One man is rescued from the water by DLRG workers, the other man is still missing when the fire brigade arrives. A race against time begins for the emergency services: will they find the missing man in time or will the rescue turn into a rescue? In addition, a forgotten lunch causes a kitchen fire in Bochum-Langendreer and the fire brigade trainees have to free a bird from the drugstore. And: Why a dizzy spell ends in a practical driving test!
Barn fire and rescue operation. Bochum: There is a fire on a farm in the Bergen district. When the emergency services arrive, there are suddenly two emergency locations! Medical emergency in a private apartment: The father collapses unconscious while having lunch with the family. The fire department sends the rescue service and emergency doctor to help, every second counts. The operations of the Bochum fire station in the third episode of the third season.
In the fourth episode of the third season of Fire & Flame, the roof of a sports hall is on fire. A woman with severe leg pain draws attention to herself and her neighbor calls the emergency services. A five-year-old boy is also stuck in a packing station. Major operation in Bochum Querenburg: The roof of a sports hall is on fire. The emergency services see a huge black cloud of smoke rising as they approach. A race against time begins. In the middle of the night, a woman hears her neighbor knocking. She is able to open the apartment door with the spare key: Her neighbor is crying in pain and can no longer move. Worried, she dials "112" and the fire department sends the emergency services. And: A five-year-old boy's arm is stuck in the receipt dispensing slot of a packing station.
In the fifth episode of the third season of Fire & Flame, the fire department is alerted in the middle of the night: a smoke alarm beeps. The high-altitude rescue team, a special unit of the fire department, has a training scenario with the trainees on the agenda. An elderly woman also complains of heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Bochum city center: In the middle of the night, a resident calls the fire department. The smoke alarm beeps in the apartment next door and he smells burning outside the apartment door. The firefighters have to hurry because they suspect that there is still someone in the apartment. The high-altitude rescuers, a special unit of the fire department, have training sessions every week, this time together with the trainees. The training scenario: A person has injured himself while working at a dizzying height and needs to be rescued. At an S-Bahn station in Langendreer, several schoolchildren are stuck in an elevator and a car is fully ablaze.
In Bochum-Werne, a construction worker injured himself in a 10m deep pit. He was lying hundreds of meters away from the access opening and called for help. His colleagues alerted the fire department. An apartment is on fire: The resident has taken refuge on the balcony. The driver was injured in an accident on the motorway. The emergency services have to carefully rescue him from the car. A man can't breathe - the fire department sends the emergency services. Major operation at night: There is a fire in an apartment in an apartment building. The resident has taken refuge on the balcony. There is also an operation in a private apartment: A man has been suffering from severe shortness of breath for several hours, his family members are very worried. The fire department sends the emergency services. And: A driver was injured in a traffic accident on the motorway. He complains of severe neck pain, the emergency services on site have to rescue him from the car as gently as possible.
In the seventh episode of the third season of Feuer & Flamme there is a fire in a supposedly empty building, a "MANV" exercise and the ambulance of a pregnant woman. Smoke rises from an empty building in downtown Bochum. When the emergency services arrive, there is a fire on the ground floor and it turns out that the building is actually occupied! Practice for an emergency: Explosion in a building with many people. What happens if the emergency services are faced with a large number of injured people after such a disaster - a so-called MANV, a mass casualty incident? In order to be prepared for this extreme situation, the fire service is practicing this emergency scenario together with the aid organizations. And: A gynecologist alerts the fire service, a pregnant patient has complications and needs to be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible.
In the eighth episode of the third season of Feuer & Flamme, the fire brigade is faced with two complicated situations – a hedge fire and the rescue of a senior citizen – and celebrates the annual Fire Brigade Olympics. Bochum: The fire brigade is alerted to a hedge fire. When they arrive on site, the fire has already spread to two cars and threatens to spread to the adjacent house. Every second counts now! To make matters worse, one of the two cars is a hybrid vehicle - another new challenge for the emergency services, who have never had to put out a fire of this kind before. An elderly gentleman has been seriously injured when he fell into his garage pit and needs the help of the fire brigade. The annual fire brigade Olympics are taking place at the inner-city station, where employees can compete and challenge each other in various disciplines.
The season finale of Fire & Flame is about suspicious smoke, a rescue mission for headaches and dizziness, an exercise on a factory site and a burning compost heap. A caller alerts the fire department. Clouds of smoke are rising from a window in an apartment building. It is believed that there is still a person in the apartment. Concerned employees dial "112"; their colleague complains of headaches and dizziness; he is very ill. The fire department sends the emergency services. There is an explosion on a Thyssen-Krupp factory site. Caustic soda is leaking, several fires are spreading rapidly and one person is missing. Fortunately, this is not a real operation, but an unannounced large-scale exercise. A huge compost heap is burning in Bochum-Langendreer, the cloud of smoke is visible beyond the city limits and presents the firefighters with a lengthy task.
Season 4 presents the story of the firefighters of the Bochum professional fire department and the active members of the Bochum volunteer fire department in a total of six episodes. This year, long-time fans and new viewers can look forward to numerous exciting and authentic events, accompanied by impressive and high-quality recordings. The exceptional situation during the corona pandemic is also challenging for everyone: Thanks to a hygiene concept approved by the health department, filming was able to take place from the beginning of October 2020 to the end of November 2020.
In the first episode of the fourth season, the Bochum firefighters are called to a fire in an industrial area at a car scrap yard. The situation worsens dramatically because the fire spreads extremely quickly. This is fatal because there is a chemical factory next door. There is a risk of a serious explosion. A race against time begins and a lot of reinforcements are called in. Can the catastrophe still be averted?
A serious car accident with a person trapped inside puts the Bochum fire brigade under great stress. The journey becomes a real test and a race against time. An elderly lady complains of acute shortness of breath, the fire brigade is notified via the emergency call system. The crucial question is: is the shortness of breath possibly related to Corona? Firefighters must also be prepared for a poisonous emergency. So today their path takes them to the Bochum zoo - to all kinds of poisonous and exotic reptiles. And finally a car is fully ablaze. The fire brigade trainees are allowed to take over the extinguishing of the fire all by themselves for the first time.
In the middle of the night, the emergency services are called to a burning office container in front of a warehouse. Nobody knows what is inside... In addition, the rescue workers from the professional fire brigade are called to perform resuscitation after a traffic accident. Can they save the accident victim's life on the spot? Inventiveness and speed are not only required during an exercise at the station, the emergency services also have to find a good solution when rescuing a mountain biker. Can they rescue the seriously injured man from the embankment without causing any further shock and hand him over to the emergency services?
Major operation in Bochum: The emergency services at the Werner Hauptwache are called to a fire in a residential building. Can they evacuate the building in time? In addition, a mother needs urgent help: her baby is locked in the car and the key is in the car. Elsewhere, gas is said to be leaking in a private apartment.
Precision work under time pressure: First responders alert the fire department to a serious traffic accident. Every move has to be right, an injured person is trapped in the car and must be freed and taken to hospital as quickly as possible. In addition, the security team, together with the mountain rescuers and the rescue dog squad, practice searching for and rescuing missing people from a so-called "lost place". Although these abandoned places are not allowed to be entered, serious accidents still occur there.
Major operation at night: The fire brigade from the inner city station is called to a fire in a tire warehouse. It quickly becomes clear that a lot of manpower is needed here. When the fire brigade arrives at the tire warehouse, the owners are already trying to prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the warehouse and piles of tires. In addition, it is not uncommon for the emergency services to be called to cases for which they are not actually responsible.
In the fifth season, the firefighters and trainees continue to show viewers, in their inimitable way, an emotional and genuine picture of their work, which does not only consist of large-scale operations, but is always carried out with heart and soul. They comment on what is happening full of wisdom, passion and compassion. In the six new episodes, viewers see how the emergency services put out a difficult building fire, among other things. They are there when a fireplace burns that cannot be extinguished with water, and they experience first-hand how those affected have to be rescued from the car and given medical care after a traffic accident. For 50 days in a row, 24 hours a day from mid-April to early June 2021, camera teams accompanied the firefighters in the Ruhr area in their challenging everyday work.
Bochum in the early evening: Dense, black clouds of smoke rise from a company building. The fire department is quickly on the scene - but the premises are locked. As the fire threatens to spread and every minute counts, the emergency services have to gain access as quickly as possible. In addition, the dispatch center receives a domestic emergency call. An elderly lady has pressed her emergency button and is not responding to any call. The fire department sends the rescue service. At the scene, neighbors report that the lady is seriously ill. For the rescue workers, a race against time begins, because her apartment door is specially secured.
The Bochum fire department is called to a chimney fire. The fire must be contained quickly - but extinguishing with water is not an option. In addition to the ambulances, the fire department also has emergency vehicles in which one paramedic from the fire department accompanies an emergency physician from the hospital to serious emergencies. An elderly woman complains of shortness of breath and chest pain. Everything points to a heart attack - every minute counts. And when a bee colony is relocated from the garden of a residential building, it's a matter of life and death.
The Bochum fire brigade is called to a smoking, disused toilet building. People are believed to be still inside - there is danger to life! Every second counts for the firefighters, because the smoke from the fire is life-threatening for the missing people. But this is not the only incident that keeps the firefighters on their toes: a little boy has fallen from a great height. In addition, an injured roebuck has got lost in a private garden and has to be rescued.
After an accident on the A40 towards Essen, an elderly couple is injured in one of the cars involved in the accident. The Bochum emergency services go to the rescue. The firefighters are also called to a fire at night on a tennis court. When they arrive at the scene, an arbour is already on fire. And: A worried wife dials 112. Her husband can no longer get up. But when the emergency services decide to take him to hospital, he refuses.
The Bochum fire brigade is called to a sauna fire. When the emergency services arrive, high flames are already bursting out of the house. Will the fire spread? In addition, a man in respiratory distress independently notifies the emergency services - and can thus be rescued in time. And: The control centre receives a so-called "eCall". This is an emergency call service that automatically alerts the fire brigade after a traffic accident.
Alarm for the trainees of the Bochum fire brigade: an area of more than 100 square metres is on fire in a piece of woodland. Can they prevent it from spreading? In addition, there is an emergency medical operation for a patient with suspected corona: the emergency services use special protective clothing to treat the woman. Meanwhile, the fire brigade has to rescue a man with a dislocated ankle in rough terrain. And: Can the training group rescue an injured grey heron from a deep cellar shaft?
The sixth season of "Feuer & Flamme", which can be seen from January 2023, will for the first time provide insights into the work processes in the control centre of the Bochum fire brigade. Here and during on-site operations, the firefighters will be confronted with particularly dramatic situations in six new episodes: a street race with a terrible outcome, two missing children in the Bochum catacombs, a burning roof truss caused by lightning and a fire on a workshop site that is difficult to get under control. The emergency services try to help in their usual professional, humane and cooperative manner. For 50 days in a row, 24 hours a day from the beginning of May to the end of June 2022, camera teams accompanied the firefighters in the Ruhr region in their challenging daily work. By using up to 60 special cameras at the same time - so-called body cams - the viewers experience the exciting fire brigade operations emotionally and directly.
A battery explodes and shortly afterwards the room is on fire. Every second counts for the firefighters to prevent the fire from spreading further. Then the next call: a car has crashed into a parked truck. The fire brigade is alerted in order to save the trapped passenger. The accident scenario is unusual. Was the cause of the serious accident possibly a street race? Psychological support can be found at wdr.de/k/psu-hilfe
The Bochum fire department is called to a residential building that was struck by lightning. There is already a suspicious crackling noise between the roof and the cladding. Can the emergency services prevent the fire from spreading to the entire house? In other applications, tact is required. A little boy is trapped between a wall and a railing on the subway platform and is in great pain. The rescue is extremely difficult. This episode also shows the work in the emergency dispatcher for the first time.
Two children are missing in the huge underground bunkers in Bochum's Westpark, which have long been closed and entry is forbidden. Together with speleologists, the emergency services search through the kilometers of corridors, shafts and halls. Life-threatening dangers lurk here for both the firefighters and the missing children. In another operation, the trainees are initially called to an arbor fire to provide support. But then they are the first unit on site and have to put out their first big fire. There is a danger from gas bottles stored in the arbor.
When the Bochum fire department arrived to extinguish a camper, large flames were already coming out of it. Can they prevent it from spreading to surrounding cars and homes? And the next mission is also tough: a woman has an accident and calls 112. She faints during the emergency call. The control center dispatcher has to locate her cell phone and navigate the emergency services to the injured woman in the middle of a forest. Can the rescue workers find the woman in time?
The firefighters are called to a fire. Dark clouds of smoke come from a bar. Are there still people in the building? How great is the danger for the residents in the surrounding apartments? The Bochum fire brigade's emergency services were supported 50 days in a row and 24 hours a day in their grueling everyday work. Six gripping episodes full of tension and emotions were created. The “heroes next door” try to help professionally, humanely and together.
A carport with several vehicles is ablaze. The flames threaten to spread not only to the adjacent residential building, but also to the workshop next to it. Several gas bottles make the work of the Bochum firefighters even more difficult. Then there is an explosion. In another case, a young high-performance gymnast falls from the parallel bars while training and falls on his neck. Is his spine injured? The rescue workers have to take him to the hospital as gently as possible.
With the seventh season, the popular Bochum fire brigade team says goodbye to the cult series after five seasons, in which the firefighters are accompanied by camera teams in their everyday lives 24 hours a day. Rare insights into everyday working life create an authentic picture of the professional fire department. The Bochum fire department is once again confronted with dramatic situations in the seventh season of the WDR documentary series. In the event of a house fire, rescue is a matter of life and death. In addition to blazing fires, there are also unusual missions to be seen, such as the rescue of a driver who had slipped on a slippery road and was now threatening to slide down the slope. Among other things, the rescue workers are called to an unusual medical emergency; a refugee from Ukraine is in mortal danger. In addition to the operations, training for emergencies is also shown.
Bochum: A woman calls 112; her kitchen is ablaze. She and her daughter can save themselves from the apartment, but unfortunately their dogs can't. Fire and smoke continue to spread. Soon the elderly neighbor is also in danger. Can the firefighters still save people and animals? A woman complains of stomach pain and the emergency services are called. This deployment presents a special challenge: the patient has dementia and cannot remember anything. Also: A special kind of mini golf tournament is taking place at the fire station. You can laugh.
Flames erupt from an apartment building in Bochum. The tenant of the apartment on fire was able to escape outside in time, but the neighbors' lives were in danger. Among them was a family with four children. The problem: The smoke has cut off their escape route and they can't get outside without help. Can emergency services rescue parents and children through the windows? An alarm also goes off at the Bochum fire station during the night: securing a motorcycle that has been involved in an accident. The situation on site is completely different: a truck has had a serious accident, the driver is trapped and has to be freed.
Nighttime operation at a school in Bochum: What starts as burning bushes quickly develops into a building fire. Can the firefighters prevent something worse from happening? The rescue workers are also called to a medical emergency: a refugee from Ukraine is in mortal danger. And: A truck is on fire and needs to be extinguished as quickly as possible.
An elderly woman reports to the Bochum fire department: the stairwell is full of smoke, the smoke detector in the basement beeps incessantly. Your escape route from the attic is cut off. The emergency services have to hurry, a race against time begins. Ambulance services and an emergency doctor are called to a man with acute heart problems. Did he have a heart attack? Can you still help him? The absolute “worst case” scenario for the fire department is when a colleague is in danger while on duty. So that everyone knows how to behave, the fire department practices a “mayday situation”. Also: A car fire on the motorway causes a complete closure.
NBC operation in Bochum: Green mist rises into the open air during a drilling operation on a construction site. The employees alert the fire department. They, in turn, now have to identify the unclear gas and clarify its origin in order to be able to assess the danger. A captivating situation, a case for modern technologies and expertise. In addition, the wooden hut of a youth home burns late in the evening. Soon the entire hut is on fire and the fire threatens to spread. Will the firefighters – initially with limited forces – be able to bring the situation under control? And: How do you celebrate Christmas on the guard?
New Year's Eve 2022/23: The turn of the year represents a special challenge for the firefighters. The night turns into an ordeal for the firefighters. You have to be in many places at the same time. In addition, the severe onset of winter with blowing snow and slippery conditions makes the roads dangerous terrain. The emergency services have to rescue a driver who has slipped on the slippery road. When they arrive, the car is lying on its side and is in danger of sliding down the slope, with the driver trapped in the car.
With the eighth season, Feuer und Flamme changes the area, because the new episodes were created in collaboration with the Duisburg professional fire department. The WDR chose the new location because the fire department's work there should offer more variety, for example with the harbor guard in the world's largest inland port. Filming in Duisburg began in June 2023 and took a total of 70 days. The focus of season 8 of Feuer und Flamme is, in addition to the rescue team from the harbor guard, the employees of fire station 3 in the north of the city and the emergency services in the Christoph 9 rescue helicopter.
Apartment fire in Duisburg: According to the emergency call, there is still one person in the building. When the fire brigade arrived, the flames were already shooting out of the window. The missing person has to be rescued from the smoke-filled stairwell using respiratory protection. At the same time, firefighting is initiated from the inside and via turntable ladders. Another team is fighting the flames at the back of the house, which is difficult to access, to prevent them from spreading to the neighboring building.
At a recycling center in the world's largest inland port, hundreds of tons of scrap metal and scrap vehicles are completely engulfed in flames. The cloud of smoke is visible for kilometers. The Duisburg professional fire department immediately took all necessary measures to keep the massive fire at bay. All neighboring towns are sending reinforcements. The Duisburg Harbor Guard's fireboat also starts extinguishing operations from the water. Can the emergency services defeat the fire with their combined forces?
Traffic accident on a federal highway: A cyclist was hit and seriously injured. The Christoph 9 rescue helicopter is called in to provide support. On site, the emergency doctor from the rescue helicopter takes over the patient and must immediately initiate initial measures to provide the injured person with the best possible help.
Thick, black smoke is coming from the basement of an abandoned hospital. But all entrances to the building are barricaded. The emergency services have to break open a barred window as the fire continues to spread. The firefighters have zero visibility inside - so every step in the dangerous ruins has to be extremely careful.
Duisburg: An employee at a gas station alerts the fire department because there is a fire on the roof. When the emergency services from station 3 arrive, the smoke is already very heavy. The fire threatens to spread from the roof to the gas station building. An additional difficulty: the solar system on the burning roof complicates the fire-fighting work considerably. Will the emergency services manage to put out the fire in time?
Duisburg Landscape Park: The rescue service needs support because a man has had an accident in the forest and is seriously injured. He must be taken to hospital as quickly as possible. But rescuing him from the dense forest is extremely difficult. The control center sends rescue workers with the Christoph 9 rescue helicopter and the turntable ladder from station 3. Will a quick rescue be possible?
The gripping tenth season of "Feuer & Flamme" follows the Heidelberg professional fire brigade in action. From dramatic fires and technical rescues to diving missions in the Neckar River and emergency operations in the Odenwald forest – the documentary captures it all with raw emotion and intensity. Thanks to bodycams, viewers get an up-close look at the firefighters' daily routines – not just during high-stakes missions, but also behind the scenes, including their favorite meals and off-duty moments.
In 2026, it will continue with season 11 and new appearances from WDR from the Ruhr area. [WDR Press Release]
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