Crisis response teams on site

Fire at a nursing home: 34 seniors injured

There are already 34 injured in total.(Bild: Hermann Sobe)

For reasons that are still unclear, a tragic accident occurred at a nursing home in Lind ob Velden, Carinthia. A fire broke out in one of the rooms, injuring several residents. Over 100 residents had to be evacuated to safety.

On Friday afternoon, fire departments from Velden and the surrounding area were called to a particularly challenging incident. A fire had broken out in a room at a nursing home for unknown reasons. Over 100 residents of the care facility had to be evacuated to safety by emergency responders.

While an initial update from the Red Cross mentioned “four people with minor injuries and one seriously injured person,” the number had to be revised significantly upward shortly thereafter. “Currently 34 injured people. Additional Red Cross units are being called in right now,” the organization stated later. “The seriously injured person was flown to LKH Villach by rescue helicopter,” explains Melanie Reiter, press spokesperson for the Carinthian Red Cross. “Twenty crisis intervention staff are now on site.”

A situation like this is extremely stressful for everyone, but especially for older people. Some residents suffer from dementia.

Melanie Reiter, Rotes Kreuz Kärnten

Such stressful situations place a particular strain on seniors in need of care. “The top priority is the safe care and support of all those affected,” the Red Cross stated. That is why the Christophorus 11 rescue helicopter was also dispatched.

To provide the best possible care for those affected, helpers also arrived from other districts: “From Spittal, Klagenfurt, and Feldkirchen,” explains Reiter. “The crisis teams on site are mainly focused on calming the residents.”