Holidays prove busy for rescue services

TALLINN – Rescue services had a busy holiday, responding to 164 calls over the last 48 hours, an increase from the previous year. Unfortunately, fires during this period resulted in one fatality and several injuries.

The most serious incidents included three apartment building fires in Ida-Viru and Lääne-Viru counties. In total, 21 building fires were recorded. Strong winds on December 25 also kept rescuers occupied, with 27 calls to remove fallen trees from roads. Additionally, rescue crews assisted at 12 traffic accidents.

"At least two of the major fires were likely caused by careless smoking. As these occurred in apartment buildings, the holidays were ruined for the other residents who had to be evacuated from their homes. The risk of fire from smoking indoors is high, and year after year, careless smoking remains the number one cause of fatal fires," said Viktor Saaremets, the on-duty manager at the Rescue Board.

On the evening of December 24, at 5:45 p.m., the emergency center was notified of a fire in an apartment building on Jarvekula tee in the Jarve district of Kohtla-Jarve. Rescuers pulled an injured woman from the smoke-filled, burning apartment, who was then taken over by paramedics. The fire may have been started by careless smoking. The apartment lacked a smoke detector. Further details will be established during the investigation.

At 6:55 p.m. the same evening, the emergency center was alerted to a fire in an apartment building on Sääse Street in Tamsalu. Rescuers brought one victim out of the smoke-filled stairwell; however, the person unfortunately died en route to the hospital. Three other people suffered injuries from smoke inhalation. The specific circumstances of the fire are under investigation.

At 7:14 p.m. on December 24, rescuers responded to a call in Saki village, Võru County, where a camper van parked close to a residential building had caught fire. Firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to the house and extinguished the blaze. No one was injured in the incident.

On the evening of December 25, at 11:59 p.m., a fire was reported in an apartment building on Gagarini Street in Sillamäe. Rescuers brought an elderly man out of the burning apartment, who was then attended to by paramedics. A cat was also rescued and handed over to the man's relatives. A fire investigator determined that the blaze was likely caused by careless smoking on a living room sofa. The apartment was equipped with a carbon monoxide detector, but the mandatory smoke detector was missing.

The Rescue Board reminds the public that a functioning smoke detector provides an early warning in case of a fire and can help prevent tragic consequences.