Tragedy in Mödling

Apartment fire in Lower Austria: two dead bodies found

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the Maria Enzersdorf and Brunn am Gebirge volunteer fire departments were alerted to a room fire.

(Bild: FF Brunn am Gebirge)

Two pensioners died in a dramatic fire in the district of Mödling in Lower Austria on Saturday. The fire department rescued several people as the fire threatened to spread to several apartments. Three seriously injured people were taken to hospital. The cause of the fire was probably a faulty bedside lamp.

At the scene of the fire in Maria Enzersdorf on Saturday night, the fire department encountered several residents who had already fled the building to safety. Flames were shooting out of a window in one of the apartments and the fire was threatening to spread further. At this point, there were still several people in the building, but due to the heavy smoke in the stairwell, it was no longer safe to escape.

Several people rescued from the heavily smoky building
The fire department therefore immediately sent three breathing apparatus teams into the building to rescue people and fight the fire. At the same time, the fire was contained from the outside with two lines to prevent the flames from spreading to the façade and the apartment above.

On arrival at the scene, the fire department found several residents outside the building, flames were shooting out of the window of one of the apartments.

(Bild: FF Brunn am Gebirge)

The fire was threatening to spread. There were still some people in the building at the time

(Bild: FF Brunn am Gebirge)

The fire department immediately sent three breathing apparatus teams into the house.

(Bild: FF Brunn am Gebirge)

At the same time, the fire was contained from the outside with two lines to prevent the flames from spreading to the façade and the apartment above.

(Bild: FF Brunn am Gebirge)

The intensity of the fire rendered several apartments uninhabitable. The municipality of Maria Enzersdorf provided the affected families with emergency accommodation.

(Bild: FF Brunn am Gebirge)

During the search for casualties, a breathing apparatus unit found two people in the stairwell, who were immediately taken outside and handed over to the emergency services. Further teams began to fight the room fire with several extinguishing lines and to search for other people. Several residents were brought to safety through the smoke-filled stairwell wearing escape filter masks. The Mödling City Volunteer Fire Department was also called in to assist.

Cause of fire probably a defective bedside lamp
After the first people had been rescued, all other apartments on the affected floor were opened, checked and then closed again.

The first fatality was an 87-year-old man who was found in his bed. The fire in his apartment was probably caused by the faulty bedside lamp. The 91-year-old neighbor presumably died of smoke inhalation. 

Three people, some of whom were seriously injured, were taken to hospital by helicopter and ambulance: an 82-year-old man fell during the escape and suffered minor injuries, while an 81-year-old woman and a 76-year-old woman suffered smoke inhalation.