Tree fell on car

Snow: closures, power cuts, accidents & more

The Matzelsdorf fire brigade had to clear some fallen trees.

(Bild: FF Matzelsdorf)

Trees buckled like toothpicks under the massive weight of the large amount of fresh snow in Upper Carinthia on Saturday night. Even the fire department couldn't keep up with the work, so the road had to be closed. The sudden onset of winter also left its mark in Salzburg and Tyrol. 

Hours of heavy snowfall caused dangerous situations in Carinthia. On Friday evening, a 25-year-old female driver from the municipality of Stockenboi (Villach district) was driving in the municipality of Paternion when a tree suddenly fell on her vehicle while she was driving on the South Tyrolean road between Kamering and Aifresdorf.

Luck in misfortune! The woman was uninjured in the incident - but the car was totally damaged.

Trees gave way under snow pressure
"The tree, which was around 20 meters high and towered over the entire carriageway of Südtiroler Straße, was removed from the carriageway by the Paternion fire brigade using a chainsaw. The damaged vehicle was towed away," explained a police officer. 

Along the entire Südtiroler Straße, trees were protruding into the carriageway due to the snow and were also threatening to topple over. "While the Paternion fire brigade was still clearing up the snow, more trees fell onto the road!" a police officer describes the dangerous operation. 

The fire departments throughout the country had a lot to do on Saturday night!

(Bild: FF Matzelsdorf)

(Bild: FF Gmünd)

(Bild: FF Matzelsdorf)

(Bild: FF Matzelsdorf)

Road had to be closed
This is why the road had to be closed to all traffic at 11.30 p.m. between Mauthbrücke, the junction from the Drautal Bundesstraße (B 100) to Aifersdorf - barriers were set up by municipal staff. "A local detour has been set up," they say. The closure is expected to remain in place until Saturday. The following roads are also still closed due to the weather:

• • Katschberg road (B99) between Katschberg and Spittal
  • Wurzenpass (B109)
  • Plöckenpass (B110)
  • Turracher Höhe (B95)

Animal rescue in Hermagor
The onset of winter also left its mark on the Hermagor fire brigade. In addition to the "usual" operations (fallen trees, cars involved in accidents), the firefighters were also called out on an animal rescue mission: In the village of Kraß, a shelter tent collapsed under the weight of the snow. But there were 22 sheep inside! "Together with the Hermagor and Radnig fire departments, the owner was able to rescue the 22 sheep in the tent from the collapsed tent," reports the fire department.

The 22 animals could be freed!

(Bild: FF Hermagor)

(Bild: FF Hermagor)

The tent collapsed under the weight of the snow.

(Bild: FF Hermagor)

(Bild: FF Hermagor)

Skidding on a snow-covered road
A traffic accident in Spittal an der Drau, where a 20-year-old skidded on Drautal Straße shortly before 7 p.m. due to the wintry road conditions and excessive speed, did not end so lightly. "He skidded into the oncoming lane and crashed the rear of his car into the oncoming car of a 19-year-old woman from Baldramsdorf," said the police. She and her 18-year-old passenger were injured to an indeterminate degree and had to be taken to hospital. The 20-year-old, who was not under the influence of alcohol, was uninjured.

3600 houses without electricity
As Robert Schmaranz from Kärnten Netz explains, fallen trees cut the power supply to around 3600 households. "The districts of Spittal and Villach-Land are mainly affected; specifically in the Lisa, Katsch, Gegend and Lower Drau valleys as well as around the Weißensee and Millstättersee lakes." Although the fitters were working all night, some of the repairs had to be aborted because the situation became too dangerous in the dark and due to the weather. "We ask for your understanding," says Schmaranz. It should be clear in the early afternoon exactly when all households can be supplied with electricity again.