Eleven fire brigades fought the flames from 4:00 a.m., with the cold making the firefighting efforts more difficult, reported the district fire brigade command of Gmünd. The demolition of the building, planned for Monday, is now postponed to investigate the cause of the fire.

Firefighting Operation in Subzero Temperatures: Water Froze in Hoses

In subzero temperatures, the extinguishing water repeatedly froze in the hoses. "The entire operation site resembled an ice rink," said district fire brigade commander Harald Hofbauer. However, the spread of the fire to an adjacent barn could be prevented. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing - their clarification is "also important for us," said Hofbauer.

Cause of Fire Still Unclear

A few hours before the fire, 16 fire brigades had practiced in the area of the building and also ignited a fire to create a realistic smoke scenario. However, this was carefully extinguished and checked multiple times until the evening, with no fire activity detected. "We only leave an operation or exercise site when we are 100 percent sure that there is no longer any danger," emphasized Dominik Krenn, press spokesman for the district fire brigade command. The former inn is easily accessible, which is why arson cannot be ruled out.

(APA/Red)

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