About 200 responders practise major-fire scenario at illwerke vkw

About 200 emergency responders took part in a major-fire exercise on Wednesday evening at illwerke vkw’s technical maintenance facility in Rodund, ORF reported. The scenario involved a fire in a paint shop, missing workers and people trapped in an office building.

The simulated fire spread quickly across the 6,600-square-metre training ground, sending smoke over the site and threatening a nearby machine hall. Several employees were initially missing, there were numerous seriously injured people, and others were trapped inside the office building.

Fire crews carried out simultaneous rescue and firefighting operations, including searches in heavy breathing apparatus, rescues using an aerial ladder and attacks on the fire from several sides. They also worked with the Red Cross to care for the injured.

Johannes Netzer, deputy commander of the illwerke vkw company fire brigade, said the exercise had gone well and highlighted the strength of nearby fire services. He said the large area and evening air currents could carry smoke towards neighbouring buildings, potentially requiring evacuations even when those buildings were not involved in the fire.

Netzer said clear communication was crucial to ensure the right people received information at the right time. Organisers will assess the exercise and use its findings to prepare a guide for major fire service operations.