Major alarm triggered

Fire in laundry room: spa hotel evacuated at night

The guests had to find alternative accommodation on foot.(Bild: Christian Schulter)

The peace and quiet at a spa hotel in the district of Güssing in Burgenland came to an abrupt end on Wednesday evening. A fire triggered an alarm. A large contingent of emergency services arrived. The entire guest house had to be evacuated to protect the holidaymakers.

The guests at the Thermenhotel Puchas-PLUS in Stegersbach had imagined this evening to be very different. From one second to the next, the relaxation was over. According to initial reports, a fire broke out in the laundry room. It was assumed that a technical defect was the cause.

Room evacuated
Smoke quickly drifted through the building from the laundry room. The hotel had to be evacuated for safety reasons. More than 100 guests - some dressed in a bathrobe or nightgown - left the building immediately, escorted by the police.

Quick response
Five fire departments were deployed in and around the hotel. The source of the fire was quickly tracked down and the situation brought under control. "Everything went smoothly. There were no injuries as a result of the fire," was the conclusion after a short time.

On foot to the emergency shelter
The mayor of Stegersbach, Jürgen Dolesch, showed his courage. He was able to quickly find alternative accommodation for the Thermenhotel guests and organize overnight stays. The holidaymakers reached their emergency accommodation on foot.