Battery explodes

Neighbors rescued children from burning apartment

The Graz professional fire department was deployed with a total of 25 men.(Bild: Berufsfeuerwehr Graz)

Dramatic scenes on Thursday evening in Graz-Mariatrost: an exploding battery started a fire in an apartment. Three children were brought to safety by the neighbors.

Shortly before 8pm, residents of an apartment building in the Mariatrost district of Graz heard a loud bang, followed by children screaming in panic. Their parents had just been out for a walk with the dog. Courageous neighbors immediately alerted the emergency services, and several men and women forced their way into the already smoke-filled apartment and brought the three children (aged 9, 9 and 13) to safety. A fire quickly spread. The neighbors tried to extinguish the fire together with the parents, who had returned in the meantime, but to no avail.

The apartment burned out completely.(Bild: Berufsfeuerwehr Graz)

"Neighbors prevented a tragedy"
When the Graz professional fire department arrived, the apartment was already fully engulfed in flames. However, the experienced firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control. Fortunately, the breathing apparatus team also reported that there were no other people or animals in the building. "Thanks to a large contingent of emergency services and the early, professional action of the neighbors, a tragedy could be prevented here!", fire department operations manager Martin Trampusch is convinced.

The three children and three adults (two neighbors and the children's father) were taken to the LKH-Univ. Klinikum by ambulance with suspected smoke inhalation. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. According to the police, the battery of an e-scooter, which was connected to a socket, was the cause of the fire.