Smoke is spreading

Fire triggers flood of emergency calls, residents trapped

An apartment fire with heavy smoke caused a stir on Tuesday in Vienna’s Brigittenau district and the neighboring Leopoldstadt district.(Bild: Leserreporter)

Dramatic scenes unfolded Tuesday afternoon in Vienna’s Brigittenau district and neighboring Leopoldstadt during an apartment fire. The spreading, thick smoke triggered a flood of emergency calls to the fire department. Several residents were trapped and drew attention to themselves by the windows. 

Panic must have been written all over the residents’ faces when the firefighters arrived, as thick smoke, caused by an apartment fire, spread rapidly throughout the apartment building on Nordbahnstraße. As a result, several people were trapped and unable to escape.

Smoke visible across several city blocks
Emergency responders were initially alerted around 1 p.m. to a room fire on the first floor of the multi-story building. Upon the fire department’s arrival, spokesperson Gerald Schimpf already described it as a “full-scale apartment fire.” The apartment door had burned through completely, causing thick smoke to spread throughout the building.

“The thick smoke cut off the residents’ escape route. In some places, the smoke was already seeping under the doors into the residents’ apartments,” Schimpf told the “Krone.” According to the spokesperson, the thick smoke was also visible across several city blocks and caused a stir in the neighborhood.

An apartment fire with heavy smoke caused a stir on Tuesday in Vienna’s Brigittenau district and the neighboring Leopoldstadt.(Bild: Leserreporter)

Thick smoke caused fear
Meanwhile, dramatic scenes unfolded at the windows: Several people had to be calmed down by firefighters to prevent further panic. The emergency responders eventually rescued them using breathing apparatus and escape hoods, bringing them outside where they received further care.

Four people subsequently had to be treated in the vehicles of the Vienna Professional Rescue Service’s special operations unit due to smoke inhalation, as spokesperson Andreas Huber reported. However, no one had to be taken to a hospital. According to fire department spokesperson Schimpf, the fire has since been extinguished. Emergency responders were still engaged in mop-up operations and safety measures in the afternoon.