Vienna-Rudolfsheim

Fire: two injured and 37 people evacuated

(Bild: APA/STADT WIEN/FEUERWEHR)

A cellar fire broke out in Vienna-Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus on Monday night, injuring two people and forcing the evacuation of almost 40.

The fire department received several emergency calls at around 2 a.m. Two stairwells were filled with smoke. The emergency services rescued numerous people using escape filter hoods and turntable ladders. According to the professional rescue service, two people suffered smoke inhalation, including a police officer. A 23-year-old resident was taken to hospital.

37 people cared for by rescue services
Passers-by and residents noticed smoke rising from the basement windows of the apartment building in Mariahilfer Straße. Residents called for help from the windows when the emergency services arrived. The fire department fought the fire and checked the two stairwells, apartments, the inner courtyard and the neighboring buildings while wearing breathing apparatus.

Heavy smoke
In the inner courtyard, which was also heavily smoky, a resident climbed over scaffolding into the open and threatened to jump from the second floor. Firefighters brought him safely to the ground. In addition to the numerous other residents, two cats were also rescued by turntable ladder. 37 people were assisted by the special rescue team.

The fire department used high-performance fans to blow the smoke out of the stairwells and apartments and out of the basement. 61 firefighters were deployed, which lasted two hours. The Vienna State Office of Criminal Investigation began investigating the cause of the fire.