City of Zug, 07.06.2023

Suction dredger goes up in flames on the Lorze river

A floating suction dredger caught fire by the "Brüggli" in Zug. Two workers were thereby able to reach safety on their own. A technical defect is thought to have been the cause of the fire.

Spectacular scenes at "Brüggli" lakeside swimming area in Zug shortly before noon on Tuesday: a floating suction dredger caught fire on the Lorze river, just after it flows out of Lake Zug. At that time, the suction dredger was busy collecting debris from the river bed.

The volunteer fire brigade of the city of Zug (FFZ) managed to fight and extinguish the flames from the bank and from the oil boat. According to the Zug police, two workers aged 29 and 53 were on the floating platform when the fire broke out. One of them was able to wade through the waist-deep water to shore and brought his colleague to safety in another boat. Both workers were unharmed.

Extinguishing work on the burning suction dredger
The fire brigade inspects the extinguished suction dredger            
Photos: PD

As a precautionary measure, the fire brigade erected an oil barrier at the confluence of the Lorze and Lake Zug. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and is being investigated by the Zug Police Forensic Service. A technical defect is thought to have been the cause of the fire.

Members of the Voluntary Fire Brigade of the city of Zug and employees of the Fire Brigade Inspectorate, the Office for the Environment (Amt für Umwelt) and the Zug police were on duty at the scene of the incident.