Emptied into the garbage can

Automatically stored draft

Not much remained of the garage roof.

(Bild: FF Zeltweg-Stadt, FF Weißkirchen)

On Sunday evening, a garage in Weißkirchen (Murtal district) was on fire. It was probably caused by hot ash that the 72-year-old resident had emptied into the residual waste garbage can. No one was injured and the amount of property damage is still unclear.

It is a prime example of what hot ash can do: A 72-year-old man from Weißkirchen must have been barbecuing on his charcoal grill at around midday on Saturday. In the evening, he emptied the ashes into a metal bucket and placed it in the middle of the property as a precaution.

Operation for three Styrian fire departments.

(Bild: FF Zeltweg-Stadt, FF Weißkirchen)

Ashes were still not cold
More than 24 hours later, at around 5 p.m. on Sunday, the pensioner emptied the supposedly cold ash into the residual waste garbage can. But this had fatal consequences: About two hours later, a neighbor noticed the fire that had started. The fire had spread to the wooden paneling of the façade and to the roof truss of the garage!

The fire could only be extinguished with heavy breathing protection.

(Bild: FF Zeltweg-Stadt, FF Weißkirchen)

Three fire departments arrived
The residents tried to put out the fire themselves with water from a rain barrel - but to no avail. The Baierdorf, Zeltweg-Stadt and Weißkirchen fire departments had to arrive. Using heavy breathing apparatus, the 35 firefighters were able to extinguish the fire after one and a half hours. Fortunately, no one was injured.