4 evacuated from balcony

Fire on Lake Achensee: 12 people rescued from the house

A fire broke out in a residential building in Maurach am Achensee (Tyrolean district of Schwaz) on Friday night. Twelve people were in the building at the time, some of whom had to be rescued by the fire department using a turntable ladder. Two women were taken to hospital.

Around midnight, the fire broke out in the living room of the house while a total of twelve people - owners and vacation guests - were inside. Eight residents were able to save themselves outside. However, four others were trapped on the upper floor. The fire department had to evacuate the four occupants from the balcony using the turntable ladder.

Thick clouds of smoke drifted through the entire building. Two women, 63- and 33-year-old Austrians, had to be taken to hospital in Schwaz with suspected smoke inhalation, three others were treated by the ambulance on site.

Cause of the fire is being investigated
70 firefighters from Eben, Pertisau, Achenkirch and Schwaz extinguished the flames, but were unable to prevent the living room in which the fire broke out from burning out completely. After around two hours, the operation was over and the residents were able to return to their homes.

It is not yet clear what caused the fire. Police fire investigators are now at work.