A major fire has severely damaged the Kehlsteinhaus, the mountain-top building widely known as the Eagle’s Nest, in Bavaria. Emergency crews continued working on Saturday after the blaze broke out on Friday evening near Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps.
About 200 firefighters and emergency workers responded. The site’s remote, steep location made access difficult. Authorities said no one was found inside and no injuries had been reported. The building was closed to visitors when the fire started.
Police detained a man near the scene, but investigators have not confirmed that he was involved. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and officials have not yet determined whether parts of the building can be saved.
Completed in 1938 as a guest house for Nazi officials and visitors, the Kehlsteinhaus was occasionally used by Adolf Hitler. It is separate from his nearby Berghof residence. Since 1952, the site has operated as a restaurant and has included an exhibition about its history.
Illustrative image: Bavarian Alpine landscape; not a photograph of the fire or the building.
