Apartment uninhabitable

Beer capsules to help families after fire

The people on the balconies were lucky that they did not faint: They wouldn't even have been able to see the cage of the turntable ladder, the smoke was so thick. The exact cause of the fire is still unclear.(Bild: FF Trimmelkam)

A community comes together: Following the devastating fire in an apartment building a week ago, which left a total of seven apartments uninhabitable, the whole of St. Pantaleon (Upper Austria) is eagerly collecting donations for the victims.

But one of the fundraising campaigns is not like the others: The Trimmelkam volunteer fire department has called for beer capsules to be collected, the proceeds of which will benefit the fire victims. "We've had campaigns like this several times before. The Hauser company always gives us good prices for the scrap metal in these cases," says Martin Spannbrucker. The fire chief hopes to be able to contribute at least a few thousand euros in this way. The last collection for the children of a mother who died young raised an impressive 20,000 euros.

My biggest thanks go to the emergency services. If the fire department, rescue services, crisis intervention team and police had not been on the scene so quickly, the inferno could even have ended with fatalities.

Nina Wolfgruber, Vizebürgermeisterin St. Pantaleon

Bild: Scharinger Daniel

All belongings lost
"Five families with up to seven members and two single residents lost everything in this fire," says Deputy Mayor Nina Wolfgruber, who was able to organize replacement accommodation for the victims with the help of the cooperative. "These are people who didn't just fall on the butter side of life. In addition, some were not insured and really did lose all their belongings in the flames."

The apartments were completely destroyed by the fire.(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger © Daniel Scharinger)

School supplies particularly in demand
That is why people are now busy collecting for the victims: The Catholic Women's Movement, farmers' wives, the fire department youth and some companies are also participating with generous donations of money or goods to help. School supplies were particularly in demand, as the fire victims included children and young people who are now back at school.

Several people jumped out of the house out of panic. A 10-year-old boy who jumped from the balcony on the second floor has a splint on his leg, but is on the mend. It is still unclear when and if the house will ever be habitable again.