The brutal attacks on firefighters during a fire operation for an asylum center in Steyregg, Upper Austria, shocked the whole of Austria. And that’s not all: the next mission was the next day around lunch time. The asylum seekers had set off the fire alarm again: the fifteenth operation in just a few weeks.
Terrifying scenes unfolded outside the asylum seeker center in a former hotel in Steyregg on Thursday evening. A fire brigade operation due to a container fire turned into a gauntlet for the emergency services. “The residents of the asylum accommodation danced around the source of the fire, preventing unhindered access,” fire chief Rudolf Breuer told the “Krone”.
Women harassed
But that was not enough, the young people and all the male asylum seekers walked around between the cars and harassed firefighters. “We then made sure the women stayed with the vehicles and protected them,” Breuer said.
Eventually the police arrived with seven patrols and police dogs and the situation calmed down. The investigation into the incidents and whether there was arson is still ongoing.
New operation with police escort
And as if that wasn’t enough, the young people set off the fire alarm again the next day. The fire brigade had to come out again, this time under a police escort. “At the operational address it quickly became clear that a push-button alarm had again been deliberately activated,” the Steyregg fire brigade said on its homepage.
Lots of false alarms
There is great frustration among the fire brigade. No wonder that there have been fifteen missions to the asylum center since the beginning of this year. The fire brigade had to go to the shelter several times in recent days. Even on December 24 and 25, the volunteers had to move because the alarm had gone off. Apparently someone is having ‘fun’ by pressing the alarm button.
Meanwhile, Mayor Gerhard Hintringer announced a crisis summit.
FPÖ demands consequences
The FPÖ calls for tough action after the incidents. “It is unacceptable that people who supposedly seek protection in our country show their gratitude by hindering emergency services and harassing female firefighters,” said deputy governor and FPÖ state party leader Manfred Haimbuchner.
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.
