An apartment fire, blazing flames, a fire brigade, a rescue operation, a victim for whom help unfortunately came too late: the fire in an apartment on Engerthstrasse in Vienna’s Leopoldstadt district was to end tragically over the weekend. The dry facts of this incident are quickly told. But often there is more behind the headline – for example, people who cannot forget this event so quickly. One of them told Kroon.by his story.
It is easy to read that there were attempts by witnesses to rescue the 43-year-old resident trapped in his burning apartment. But what it means for a person to want to help someone who is in great need, but is unable to do this – this fact is not always given too much attention.
“I have worked and acted”
For Gino S., the incident that afternoon should be a profound experience – one he will not soon forget. He was on his way to visit his mother-in-law when he became aware of the fire on Engerthstrasse. “I heard strange noises from the courtyard and then saw the fire on the balcony. A man was screaming very loudly for help,” the 26-year-old reports. “As soon as I saw the fire, I functioned and acted,” he says of what was going through his mind at the time.
For a moment he thought about protecting himself from being protected by others – “but somehow that wasn’t important to me at the moment because I just wanted to help,” explains the 26-year-old: “And I help because I also want someone to help me when i am in need please help.
The man from Leopoldstadt ran to the stairs in question, looked for the apartment, behind the door of which the flames blazed. He found her, tried to kick her, but she resisted the kick. “So I grabbed the fire extinguisher and hit it three times.” With success: the door jumped open. “I ran in, yelled for him to come in – unfortunately he didn’t.”
No visibility, enormous heat
The 26-year-old could not go further into the apartment, because of the smoke and flames, the heat was too great. When he could no longer breathe, the Viennese had to retreat – and looked for the fire brigade, which he showed the way to the apartment.
After his courageous rescue attempt, the man from Leopoldstadt needed help himself and had to be treated on the spot by the emergency services. He was given oxygen and later went back to the hospital, accompanied by his girlfriend, “because my health was not so good”.
“I burst into tears”
The fire, the incident – it still worries the 26-year-old: “I still hear his cries for help now and then and I have such a strange feeling inside me.” That the 43-year-old could not be saved and dying in the fire hit him hard. “When I heard that he had passed away, it really hurt me and brought tears to my eyes. That will definitely keep me busy for a while.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
