Two workers have died in a workplace accident at the under-construction 86MW Fischborn wind farm in Hesse, Germany.
The two 32-year-old men lost their lives in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, 25 February, while working at height in the upper section of the turbine tower, which was under construction, according to a police report.
In a statement, the Hesse police said that the two men were positioned on a platform, which “fell from a great height” inside the tower “for reasons still unknown”. It added that the two workers are thought to have been killed instantly.
“Other workers on site had heard the loud impact of the basket and made the emergency call, which reached the police at around 4:45 a.m.,” the statement said.
“With the assistance of a commissioned expert, the exact sequence of events and the cause of the accident will now be reconstructed. Simultaneously, police investigations into the cause have already begun.”
The Fischborn wind farm, located near the B276 federal highway between the districts of Fischborn and Wüstwillenroth, is being constructed by Hessen Energie on behalf of its client, WP Fischborn GmbH, which is owned by OVAG, ImWind, Renertec and Mainova.
Construction started in late 2025. Commissioning of the project is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.
The project is to feature 12 Vestas V172 7.2MW turbines.
Tower supplier Max Bögl said the accident occurred while the men were working “with an aerial work platform”.
“We are deeply saddened by this incident. Our thoughts are with the deceased employees of our sub-contractor, their families, and their loved ones,” a spokesperson said.
An investigation is being conducted by internal company HSE experts and an external independent expert, as well as the relevant authorities.
“As a precautionary measure, we have temporarily suspended similar work until reliable findings are available,” the spokesperson added.
“We will provide transparent information as soon as reliable information is available. We ask for your understanding that we are unable to comment further at this time out of consideration for the ongoing investigation.”
Vestas added it is “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of the two employees from a Max Bögl sub-contractor, working at a wind park under construction with Vestas turbines in Germany”.
“We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the affected persons at this difficult time,” a statement said.
“Vestas is working together with Max Bögl, the sub-contractor and the authorities to determine the root cause of the accident.”