A fire in Traun (Upper Austria), caused by a scooter battery, injured four people and completely destroyed an apartment. Because the building had to be closed by the authorities, some will no longer be able to enter their homes for a longer period of time. While several pets were rescued, a dog suffocated in the flames.
“When we arrived, the flames were coming from the balcony of the apartment on the ground floor and threatened to spread to the first floor,” says Manuel Gayer of the FF Traun after the helpers arrived on Flötzerstrasse on Saturday morning after the alarm. Despite the quick intervention of the emergency services, the apartment burned down completely and four injured people were taken to hospital.
Cause of fire: e-scooter
One of them is the tenant of the fire apartment. While his wife was at work, he was sitting on the balcony smoking a cigarette when two loud bangs sounded: the battery of an e-scooter had exploded. The Trauner tried to extinguish the fire, but in vain. He fled outside and was only able to take one of the two dogs with him. The second four-legged friend died in the flames.
Rescue of the tenants with respiratory protection
Because there were still a number of residents in the three-story building, firefighters used heavy breathing apparatus to rescue all 37 tenants. “There was already a lady with a walker waiting at her door,” said Mayor Karl-Heinz Koll, “she was rescued outside on a stretcher.” During the extinguishing work, the tenant of the fire apartment came home, received a shock and had to go to the hospital.
Some are not allowed to go home for a long time
The fire was quickly brought under control, but the damage was so extensive that eight apartments were temporarily closed by the authorities. “Fortunately, all evacuees were staying with family. We are looking for alternative housing for the residents of the apartments that were closed,” explains Mayor Koll. It is unclear when they will be allowed to return – it could take weeks. What is especially bad is that many of the tenants are older and have lived in the apartment complex for a long time.
Source: Krone
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