Apartment Fire in Viennese High-Rise: Two Persons Injured, Cause Unclear

The heavy smoke development on the inside of the courtyard also caused fire alarms to go off in several neighboring buildings. The fire crews fully extinguished the fire in the affected apartment and then checked the rooms using a thermal imaging camera.

Emergency Services and Rescue Measures

Final embers were specifically smothered with a bucket pump. To conclude, the Professional Fire Department cleared smoke from all affected areas of the building in order to remove the smoke gases from the floors.

During the operation, which began around 6:00 p.m., two persons were injured. Two persons had to be handed over by the fire department to the rescue services of the Vienna Professional Rescue Service with the special operations group and receive emergency medical care. The Vienna Professional Rescue Service subsequently admitted one person to a hospital.

Investigations into the Cause of the Fire

As of now, the cause of the fire is still unclear. The State Criminal Police Office of the police has taken over the investigation into the cause of the fire. Further information, such as the amount of property damage or the exact identity of the injured persons, was initially not released by the authorities.

According to consistent reports, the incident occurred toward the end of the afternoon in a densely built Meidling apartment block. Residents reported a column of smoke visible from afar above the inner courtyard, which also drew the attention of passersby on the adjacent streets.

Behavior in Apartment Fires

Following the operation, the Vienna Professional Fire Department once again pointed out that, in an emergency, doors should be closed and escape routes via the stairwell should be used. Smoke detectors in neighboring buildings had in this case allowed the alarm to spread without any actual fire danger existing there.

How long the affected apartment will remain uninhabitable after the fire is currently unclear. The investigating authorities' inquiries are also ongoing in this regard; the State Criminal Police Office has not yet released any further details on the incident.