Defective oil stove

Carbon monoxide: Luck for 13 residents in Schwaz

The incident occurred in this block of flats in Paracelsusstraße.(Bild: ZOOM.TIROL)

Carbon monoxide (CO) escaped from a stove in a block of flats in Schwaz (Tyrol) on Friday morning. Several people suffered poisoning. Two over-80-year-olds had to be taken to hospital.

It should have been a normal ambulance transport, but the driver of the ambulance noticed something strange in the apartment in an apartment building in Paracelsusstraße.

When the 89-year-old resident, who was complaining of feeling unwell, was taken away shortly before 6.30 a.m., the driver noticed an unusual smell or stench. He raised the alarm and the Schwaz municipal fire department was notified immediately.

Measuring device triggered
"We went into the apartment and immediately took a carbon monoxide measurement," explains fire department incident commander Lukas Baumann. And it was true: the measuring device was triggered and the level of the potentially lethal gas in the apartment was significantly higher.

The Red Cross treated the occupants on site.(Bild: ZOOM.TIROL)

The firefighters discovered that the toxic gases were coming from a smoky auxiliary stove that runs on oil. Fortunately, the 89-year-old man and his wife (85), who had called the ambulance, had already been taken out of the smoke-filled apartment and taken to Schwaz hospital.

A few breaths are enough to die from CO. However, the concentration should be higher than in the house.

Lukas Baumann, Einsatzleiter Stadtfeuerwehr Schwaz

Eight apartments evacuated
The emergency services were also concerned about the other eleven residents in the apartment building in Schwaz. The entire building with eight apartments had to be evacuated.

Carbon monoxide penetrates walls
"Carbon monoxide penetrates walls," says incident commander Lukas Baumann, explaining the absolute necessity of the measure. Two people in the block of flats had to be treated by the emergency doctor on site. "The incident could have ended badly," he sums up.

After ventilating the entire building, the Florianis handed over the senior citizens' apartment to the police and the other residents were able to return to their homes. The Schwaz municipal fire department was deployed with a total of twelve men and one vehicle.