Firefighters in Bergheim conduct daring ladder rescues, saving seven individuals from a blaze in a multi-story dwelling; authorities subsequently contain the inferno promptly.
In Bergheim-Auenheim district, a multi-family house on Forellenweg caught fire in the basement on Thursday evening at around 5:05 PM. The Bergheim Fire Department, along with personnel from various units and the full-time station, responded to the alarm.
The first-arriving firefighters from Niederaußem began rescuing people using portable ladders. Seven individuals, including four children or teenagers, and two dogs were successfully rescued in this initial phase. One dog was rescued via the ladder, while another was found by a firefighting team during a search of the apartments.
A turntable ladder was used in the rescue operation after the arrival of career firefighters. The smoke from the basement had blocked the escape route in the stairwell for several people who had taken refuge on balconies. Fortunately, two of the rescued individuals, including one child, sustained minor injuries, but no one needed to be transported to the hospital.
The operation was concluded at around 6:45 PM. The basement fire was brought under control and extinguished by a team from Oberaußem. Extensive ventilation measures were taken to clear the building of smoke after the fire was extinguished.
Brandamtsrat Marcus Niß led the operation. The building was made powerless by the energy supplier after the operation. No one else was found in the apartments apart from the dog during the search. All rescued individuals were examined by a paramedic and the emergency services.
The fire department could not provide information on the extent of the damage or the cause of the fire. The news source is Fire Department Bergheim, transmitted via news aktuell. For further inquiries, please contact Sebastian Draxl, Fire Department Bergheim Press Spokesperson, mobile: 0151 59983940, email: [email protected].
