Care worker rescues resident from Ternberg nursing home fire

A care worker rescued a resident from a heavily smoke-filled room during a fire at a nursing home in Ternberg in the Steyr-Land district on Sunday evening, ORF reported. Eleven residents were evacuated, while the care worker and the rescued woman were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation.

The fire broke out overnight in a resident’s room. After noticing the flames, the care worker went to the room and brought the resident to safety.

Twelve fire brigades deployed

The first firefighters to arrive quickly realised that heavy smoke had made the situation more difficult than initially expected. The incident was then escalated to the second alarm level.

All eleven residents in the affected part of the building had to be evacuated. The operation was particularly difficult because they were bedridden, and some had dementia, according to Manuel Gruber of the Ternberg fire brigade.

The care worker and the resident were taken to Steyr Hospital. Both were discharged later that night.

Firefighters who also worked at the nursing home helped with the evacuation. They knew the building and many of the residents, which Gruber said was a major advantage. Twelve fire brigades remained at the scene for about three hours. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.