In an apartment fire in Langkampfen in Tyrol, Toni Auer came to the rescue before the turn of the year: the 57-year-old rescued a confused neighbor from the flames twice and prevented the worst. He and his wife Linda, who now live in a guest apartment, described the dramatic evening to the “Krone”.
When the going gets tough, a cool head counts: The fire in an apartment building in Langkampfen (Kufstein district) – reported the “Krone” – was a matter of life and death on December 30. In the middle is Toni Auer, who, as a company fire protection officer and ex-firefighter, became the guardian angel in the eight-party house in the Niederhöhenbach district.
Responds as taught many times
“I was sitting in front of the TV and suddenly saw clouds of smoke floating past the window,” Auer recalls. Seconds later, his 72-year-old neighbor on the ground floor called, completely distraught: “I have a fire!” Alarm – rescue – help. Toni had heard this countless times during training and the first thing he did was call the fire department. Then the confused neighbor came across his burning garconnière. “I pulled it out, but in the confusion it went in a second time and I yanked it out again. Visibility was less than a meter.”
Soon after, Toni rang all the doorbells. “The residents fled to their balconies, the stairwell was too full of smoke.” Uncanny: “The fire created a chimney effect in the stairwell, doors were difficult to open and close.”
Toni’s dog suddenly ran back into the smoky apartment
Suddenly, Fido, the couple’s dog, ran back into their own apartment. Toni had to risk life and limb for the third time. The fire brigade rushed in, one person had to be rescued from the balcony with a ladder, the others came out via the ventilated staircase.
The Auers, like others, are now in a replacement apartment, the inventory almost completely covered in soot and unusable. The cause of the fire was an Advent wreath next to the bed. The neighbors, who later needed skin grafts, are not angry: “Nobody died, the rest can be replaced.”
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.
