Dense columns of smoke

Detached house in Wels went up in flames

The flames were already shooting out of the windows.

(Bild: Matthias Lauber/laumat.at)

Dense columns of smoke and flames from the windows: A detached house in Wels (Upper Austria) was almost fully engulfed in flames early on Monday morning. The owner of the house was on the first floor when the fire broke out on the second floor.

When the fire department arrived early on Monday morning, flames were already blazing from several windows on the second floor - a detached house in the Schafwiesen district of Wels was almost fully engulfed in flames.

Drivers helped
The owner was probably on the first floor of her house when the fire broke out above her on the second floor. Smoke and flames could be seen for miles, so passing motorists also stopped to help. They leaned a ladder against the balcony so that any occupants of the house could escape outside. However, apart from the owner - who had already left the building - no one was believed to have been in the house.

Fire investigators are on the case
The two alerted fire departments immediately launched an extinguishing attack - both via the balcony, from the outside, and through the inside of the building. According to the firefighters, the flames had already spread to the first floor at this point.

Despite this, the Floriani managed to contain the fire in around half an hour. Fortunately, no one was injured. It is still unclear what started the fire. The fire investigators are now investigating.