Fire Engines Photos

These heavy cranes started being included in fire service fleets in Germany after WWII, and are now very common. Most large cities have two or three, and even medium-sized fire departments often have one.

Neighboring northern European countries including Hungary have also equipped their fire services with these 40 to 50 ton cranes, which are mostly built in Geramny by either Liebherr or Faun, like this example.

The heavy crane does not, however, show up in fire service fleets in Britain or southern Europe and - as you mention - is unknown in north American fire departments.

The concept of equipping them as auxiliary firefighting aerials is relatively new. Their primary role is at serious transportation accidents, structure collapse and post-expolsion incidents.

Added by Rob Johnson on 29 September 2013.

Does it function as a wrecker also?

Added by Les Davis on 30 September 2013.

It is used to clear heavy trucks, streetcars, buses and similar vehicles at road traffic accidents but is not employed to tow these away. Many German fire services also have lower tonnage cranes on regular truck chassis.

I think the main reason these heavy cranes were first introduced were connected to the post World War II conditions, when many buildings were severely damaged and at risk of collapse, there were numerous unexploded bomb incidents and train and streetcar derailments were quite common because of damaged tracks. Like many other fire service vehicles, these have grown in size with the passage of time - the earlier ones were smaller on 4X4 or 6X6 truck chassis.

Added by Rob Johnson on 30 September 2013.

I saw the lifting gear on the rear, that is why I ask. Thanks Rob. And the part about post WW 2 make total since.


Added by Les Davis on 01 October 2013.

Les - I agree, this one looks like it could be used as a tow truck if necessary - but I don't know if this city fire department actually use it as such.

There is a video on Youtube in which the Budapest 60 ton crane is lifting up an overturned tank trailer, but no footage of how the wreck was subsequently dragged away. In Germany, a major task for these cranes is to effect rescues and clean up accidents involving heavy trucks on the Autobahns.

I have visited Budapest many times on business, and managed to see some of their sixteen fire stations, but I don't recall seeing their crane or talking to any of their members about how they use it.

I do know that equipping them for firefighting is a new idea. I think this is probably because they are relatively infrequently called out, and adding a firefighting capability makes better use of what is, after all, a pretty major investment.

Added by Rob Johnson on 01 October 2013.

Hi, they are mainly used at road accidents, to clear the road, but not for the transportation of the wrecks. Also they are used in case of fires on the 10 storey buildings as these cranes can reach right at the top.
They work close with the Hungarian National Organisation For Rescue Services and providing the crane for them if needed.

Added by Zoltan on 31 October 2014.

Zoltan:

I wonder if you can answer a question about fire services in Hungary?

Do you have one national service for the whole country like Italy and Poland, or different ones for each town, , city, or region like France, Spain, Germany and Britain?

Added by Rob Johnson on 25 February 2018.

Rob In Hungary each Town or region has its own fire department, but they all operate under a county/shire department, which again are under the national service.

Added by Zoltan on 29 April 2025.

Thanks. It is interesting to see how various countries organize fire protection, because there are a lot of different approaches, usually because of the history of how they evolved. Here in the US it is very much a local affair, and as a result the quality of fire protection varies immensely. For example, Los Angeles has less than half as many firefighters per head of population as New York or Chicago, as demonstrated by their failure to contain the disastrous fires there earlier this year.

Added by Rob Johnson on 29 April 2025.

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