Attic on fire

At the last moment: families escape the hell of flames

Four adults with four (small) children - one just one year old - were able to escape from a burning house in Schwaz in the Tyrolean lowlands on Sunday morning. Neighbors were also evacuated. 130 firefighters and a large contingent of the Red Cross were deployed.

"Everyone is fine, the rest doesn't matter!" Ekrem Kirchmeyr (52) was still in shock on Sunday morning. He lived with his wife (39) and their two children (4 and one year old) on the second floor of the apartment building in Schwazer Lahnbachgasse, whose roof structure went up in flames on Sunday morning.

Glass was heard bursting
"Fortunately, we woke up shortly before half past five to the sound of glass bursting. The roof truss and the terrace were already on fire," he explains, "then we left the house immediately."

Everyone is fine, the rest doesn't matter.

Ekrem Kirchmeyr, Hausbewohner

An Indian couple (42 and 40 years old) and their two children (12 and 5), who were staying in a vacation apartment on the ground floor, were also able to escape to safety.

People evacuated from neighboring house
"It looked terrible when we arrived, the area is completely blocked, several roof trusses are interlocking", says Hilmar Baumann, commander of the Schwaz fire department. The firefighters initially concentrated on preventing the flames from spreading to neighboring houses. "Once this was secured, we concentrated on fighting the attic fire," explains Baumann.

The emergency services evacuated two 63-year-old residents from a neighboring apartment building because windows had broken and smoke had penetrated.

There were no injuries, the attic was completely burnt out, the cause of the fire is unknown. 130 firefighters from all over the region as well as police and rescue services were deployed.