Two People Lost Their Lives in a Fire in the Mödling District
The fire brigade rescued several people from the building, reported the District Fire Brigade Command in a press release. Three residents aged between 76 and 82 were taken to hospitals. An emergency helicopter was also deployed. The cause of the fire appears to be an electrical fault in a bedside lamp, said police spokeswoman Manuela Weinkirn upon request.
The 87-year-old tenant was in bed when the fire broke out shortly after 3.30 am. Any help came too late for him. When the helpers arrived, flames were shooting out of the window of the affected apartment. Some people were still in the multi-family house. Several breathing apparatus teams searched for injured people, during which two people were discovered and rescued in the heavily smoke-filled stairwell. Several residents were brought to safety with escape filter masks. A 91-year-old neighbour of the 87-year-old was brought outside according to Weinkirn, but died on the spot.
Fire in Mödling District Fought from Inside and Outside
According to police, the injured are an 82-year-old who appears to have fallen and suffered minor injuries, and two women aged 76 and 81 who were transported to the hospital on suspicion of smoke inhalation. The fire was fought from both inside and outside to prevent the flames from spreading to the facade and the apartment above. Three fire brigades were deployed during the firefighting operations. Several apartments are uninhabitable, and the municipality offered emergency accommodation to those affected. The cause of the fire was investigated by the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office and the Federal Criminal Police Office.
The fire brigade appealed to the public in the press release to install smoke detectors in all living rooms and to keep escape routes clear. In a smoke-filled stairwell, "there is an acute danger to life," it was warned. If the escape route is blocked, those affected should stay in the apartment, close the doors and draw attention to themselves through the window or call the emergency number 122, it was said.
(APA/Red)
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