Three people have died after falling from the Harzturm observation tower, a 65-metre landmark near Torfhaus in Germany’s Harz Mountains, prompting a large emergency response and a police investigation into what caused the tragedy. The alarm was raised at around 4.45pm local time, with police, emergency services and crisis intervention teams dispatched to the scene.
The incident took place at the tower’s site close to Altenau, in the Goslar district of Lower Saxony. Emergency crews cordoned off the surrounding area and erected privacy screens as they worked at the scene. Officials have said the cause of the fall remains unknown at this stage, and police have launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
About the Harzturm
Standing 65 metres (213ft) tall, the Harzturm is Germany’s tallest observation tower, built using a combination of wood and steel. The structure features two observation platforms, along with a glass-floored Skywalk positioned around 45 metres (148ft) above the ground, and a 110-metre enclosed slide that allows visitors to descend from the top.
The tower officially opened to the public in November 2024, following construction delays attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the wider energy crisis. The project cost approximately €10million to build, with around €1.4million of that funding coming from public sources provided by the German federal government and the state of Lower Saxony.
