Ammonia leak in Andorf retirement home: 3 injured before Christmas Eve!

Ammonia leak in Andorf retirement home: 3 injured before Christmas Eve!

On the afternoon of December 23, 2025, a dangerous incident occurred in the Andorf district retirement and nursing home in Upper Austria: an ammonia leak from a defective refrigerator caused immediate concern among residents and staff. The acrid smell led to the fire department being alerted at 1:46 p.m. via the emergency number 122. The emergency services were quickly mobilized, with the Andorf and Schulleredt fire departments as well as the hazardous substances vehicle from the St. Marienkirchen/Schärding fire department also being deployed. The team received support from a large contingent of rescue workers from the Red Cross, which provided seven medical vehicles and two emergency doctors.

The first emergency services, equipped with breathing apparatus, immediately went into the building. The defective refrigerator was quickly taken outside while measures were taken to ventilate the affected area. The wing in which the device was located was also evacuated to ensure the safety of residents. In total, Red Cross paramedics treated 32 people, 22 of whom were residents, and took three people who showed signs of ammonia exposure to the hospital for observation.

Relevant security measures

After about an hour and a half of intensive measures, dangerous concentrations of ammonia were no longer detected, so the tract could finally be reopened. These types of incidents highlight the essential need for well-structured emergency management in care facilities, as described in the emergency management guidelines. These stipulate that facilities regularly carry out risk analyzes and develop emergency plans in order to optimize response times to such incidents (ppm-online.org).

In addition, care facilities should offer regular first aid courses for staff and conduct emergency simulations to best prepare employees for various scenarios. These measures are crucial in order to be able to react quickly and appropriately to acute situations and to protect the health of residents, especially in an environment in which the number of people in need of care is continuously increasing (nachrichten.at).

The incident in the Andorf retirement and nursing home is a vivid example of how important it is to prepare for emergencies in facilities. Collaboration between the fire brigade, emergency services and nursing staff played a crucial role in bringing the situation under control and minimizing possible health risks (fireworld.at).