Fire destroys abandoned building in Enzesfeld-Lindabrunn

A fire destroyed an abandoned building at a former recreation centre in Enzesfeld-Lindabrunn, in Baden district, on Friday. About 160 firefighters responded, ORF reported.

When crews arrived in the evening, much of the building was already burning, and flames were spreading quickly across the roof. A shortage of water hampered firefighting: the hydrant network was overwhelmed, and the centre is somewhat remote. Fire crews set up a shuttle operation using several large tanker trucks and called in a drone to help assess the situation.

Seventeen fire brigades from Baden, Wiener Neustadt and Mödling districts took part. The site is next to a forest and several occupied bungalows, so crews established a firebreak to prevent the flames from spreading to the woods.

With parts of the ceiling repeatedly falling inside the building, firefighters could only tackle the blaze from outside. The fire was under control, but crews expected to continue damping-down operations until at least midday. The cause was not known.