Tragic fire in Gmünd: Two children die, mother injured!

Tragic fire in Gmünd: Two children die, mother injured!

Gmünd, Österreich - in Gmünd there was a tragic fire in which two children died and the mother was seriously injured. The incident occurred in the afternoon of April 26, 2025. The alarmed fire brigade was faced with difficult rescue conditions because the smoke development was strong. In order to save the residents, including the family with the toddlers, the emergency services used a lifting device and fire escape hoods. Over 100 firefighters from several municipalities, including the fire brigade city of Schrems, were involved in the rescue measures. Operations manager Mattias Böhm reported that the staircase had to be made smoke -free with a pressure ventilated.

The fire could be brought under control shortly after 1:00 p.m. The focus of the emergency services was then on fire control and the psychological support of the firefighters, who were supported by the crisis intervention team of the Red Cross in Lower Austria. The investigation into the cause of the fire has already started and are headed by the State Criminal Police Office in Lower Austria. An expert from the Federal Criminal Police Office was consulted to clarify the circumstances of the fire. Those affected received further support from an acute team from emergency call Lower Austria and specially trained fire brigade peers.

cause of fire and development

The exact cause of the fire is unclear up to the present time. The investigation will be crucial to find out how this devastating incident could come about. In general, the fire development can be divided into several phases. At the beginning there is the inflammatory phase in which materials begin to burn openly. This is followed by the growth phase in which the fire spreads and gains intensity. In the full fire phase, the fire finally reaches its maximum energy tax and expansion before it goes into the cooling phase, in which it expires from extinguishing measures or due to the lack of fuel. [Wagnergroup] explains this course in detail.

After an evaluation of the frequency of fire damage that analyzes the cause and circumstances, the prevention of fires is the responsibility of everyone. [IFS-EV] states that targeted measures for fire prevention and regular training are decisive for possible causes in order to prevent catastrophic events such as those in Gmünd.

The tragic loss of two children and the serious injury of their mother are deeply mourned by the community. The supportive measures for the families concerned and the work of the rescue workers are the focus of the subsequent reactions to this worst case of fire disaster.