Tip-mast truck fully destroyed by fire during timber rope work in Reißeck

Operation in the forest: Five fire brigades from the Mölltal

Based on the current state of the investigation, a technical defect on the forestry vehicle is suspected as the cause of the fire. According to the emergency services, there are no indications of deliberate arson or of a forest fire caused by external factors. The police have launched investigations into the exact cause, and an expert is to examine the burnt-out truck.

According to the current state of knowledge, no one was injured. The driver of the vehicle was reportedly able to get himself to safety in time when the fire broke out. There was also no risk at any time for the around 50 firefighters who were deployed, according to the operations command.

Cause of the fire and consequences

The completely burnt-out tip-mast truck, a special vehicle for timber harvesting in rope terrain, had to be removed from the scene of the fire. Since such machines are used on the steep slopes of the Hohe Tauern with cable winches, a replacement is difficult to obtain at short notice. The affected forestry company expects significant economic impacts from the loss of the vehicle, according to information from its surroundings.

In the meantime, the firefighting operations in Teuchl have ended, and the emergency personnel were able to stand down again late on Saturday afternoon. The cleanup work at the scene of the fire is ongoing. There are no official figures yet on the amount of property damage to the forestry vehicle or to any affected forest areas.

Background: Timber harvesting with tip-mast trucks

The incident sheds light on the risks of timber harvesting in rope terrain, which has been practised for decades on the steep slopes around the district of Spittal an der Drau that are inaccessible to road vehicles. Specialised forestry companies use tip-mast trucks with mounted cable systems that transport the trunks over sometimes long distances to the extraction roads.

Residents in Teuchl noticed the fire quickly, according to consistent reports from several fire brigades, and alerted the emergency services. The water supply at the remote operation site had to be ensured via tank fire engines and shuttle traffic from neighbouring municipalities, as there are no hydrants nearby.

Reactions from the municipality

The municipality of Reißeck thanked the involved fire brigades in the evening for their swift and coordinated operation. The mayor and the district fire brigade association intend to review the case at the next official meeting in order to gain insights for future operations during timber rope work.

According to the forestry company, the timber rope work in Teuchl can only continue once a replacement vehicle has been arranged. Until then, the processing of the timber felled there, which was still supposed to be brought out of the forest this late summer according to the forestry plan, is at a standstill.