Major fire in Mariahilf: Fire brigade saves nine people and a dog

Major fire in Mariahilf: Fire brigade saves nine people and a dog

On a dramatic night in Vienna, the fire brigade faced a major challenge. On October 28th, a major alarm was triggered in Mariahilfer Windmühlgasse at around 2:40 a.m. after initial reports of an almost insignificant fire in an old multi-story building were received. These reports quickly turned out to be misleading, as the situation on the ground was far more serious.

When the fire brigade arrived, thick, black smoke was already coming from the light shafts of the building at the level of Windmühlgasse. Alert level three was immediately declared when it became clear that the fire was one floor below and posed significantly more danger. Concerned residents drew attention to themselves through windows and informed the rescuers about the critical situation.

Firefighting complications

The fire department's actions were necessary immediately. Contrary to initial reports, the small fire on the first floor was quickly extinguished. However, it quickly became clear that the danger had not yet been averted, as a much larger source of fire with intense heat was discovered on the lower floors. Fire department spokesmen reported a heated fire door and soot-blackened windows, which indicated an uncontrollable fire.

Fighting the fire proved to be incredibly challenging due to the winding design of the building. Different entrances had to be used to fight the fire from the stairwells, across the inner courtyard and from outside. Several fire extinguishing lines were used while the rescuers worked under respiratory protection. The situation was made particularly dangerous by the presence of dangerous materials, including a liquid gas cylinder that had to be brought to safety.

After more than four hours of hard work, the fire department gave the all-clear at 6:45 a.m.: “Fire out!” Residents were able to return to their apartments because the stairwells and other affected areas were ventilated with high-performance fans. However, the cause of the fire remains unclear and is currently being investigated, according to fire department members.

An incident of such magnitude not only arouses the interest of the emergency services, but also of the local residents. It was a time-consuming and dangerous operation that shows the importance of quick reactions and well-thought-out emergency plans. Further information about similar incidents and the current fire department operations are available can be found here.