A major fire on the evening of Friday, October 30, 2026, in Lindabrunn, Lower Austria, in the Baden district, triggered a firefighting operation that lasted for hours. Around 160 firefighters from a total of 17 fire departments were deployed to bring the flames under control and prevent them from spreading to an adjacent pine forest and a residential area. A building of a former recreation center, which had been vacant for decades, was fully engulfed in flames. The plumes of smoke were visible from several kilometers away.

According to the Baden district fire command, the alarm was raised on Friday at 6:37 PM. A resident had reported the fire via the emergency number 122. Initially, the fire departments of Lindabrunn, Enzesfeld, Hirtenberg, Berndorf, and Pottenstein were alerted. Even on the way to the scene, the emergency services recognized dense clouds of smoke and a glow visible from afar.

During the reconnaissance, incident commander Christoph Wöhrer from the Lindabrunn fire department found that part of the roof truss of the former country inn was already fully ablaze. Flames were shooting out of the wooden roof structure. Due to the poor structural condition, an interior attack was too dangerous, so the fire department could only extinguish the building from the outside.

The operational conditions were particularly difficult. A low-pressure weather situation kept the smoke gases close to the ground, requiring numerous breathing protection teams. Additionally, the available water supplies from hydrants and a nearby fire pond were initially insufficient to effectively contain the extensive fire.

The incident command therefore called in additional tank fire trucks and breathing protection forces from surrounding fire departments and neighboring districts. A shuttle service with tank fire trucks was set up via a narrow access road to transport sufficient extinguishing water to the higher-lying fire site.

The situation was particularly critical due to the adjacent pine forest and a residential area located behind it. There was a risk that the fire could spread to the vegetation or neighboring buildings due to flying sparks. The fire department therefore set up so-called barrier positions to protect endangered areas with targeted extinguishing measures.

During the operation, parts of the roof structure repeatedly collapsed. Freshening winds reignited the flames. An aerial ladder and a telescopic mast platform supported the firefighting efforts from above. Additionally, the fire department deployed a drone to gain a better overview of the fire site.

After several hours, the emergency services finally managed to bring the fire under control. The spread to the adjacent forest and residential area was prevented. However, the severely dilapidated building itself could not be saved.

In the most intense phase, around 160 firefighters from 17 fire departments were deployed. A large part of the forces could only withdraw in the early morning hours of Saturday. The fire departments of Lindabrunn, Enzesfeld, and Hirtenberg, as well as additional emergency services from St. Veit, subsequently took over the fire watch and post-extinguishing work.

Section Commander Rudolf Hafellner expressed relief, according to the district fire department command, that the spread to the adjacent pine forest could be prevented despite the difficult conditions.

The cause of the fire is the subject of police investigations. The extent of the property damage was also not known at the time of the press release.

(Red)

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