The Vienna professional fire brigade responded to two dramatic incidents late Saturday and early Sunday. A fifth-floor apartment in a high-rise on Lichtensterngasse in Meidling was fully engulfed in flames, followed by a fire in a shop on Hernalser Hauptstraße where gas canisters repeatedly exploded, according to fire brigade spokesperson Christian Feiler.

In the Meidling case, alarm level 2 was triggered. Upon arrival, firefighters found flames shooting from both the street and courtyard sides of the apartment. The stairwell was heavily filled with smoke due to an open apartment door. The intense heat, likely intensified by an oxygen tank inside the flat, required the deployment of three fire hoses.

The fire was tackled using a “comprehensive attack” strategy. One hose team advanced inside the building through the stairwell wearing breathing equipment, while two aerial ladders were used from the outside to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent flats or the building’s facade. Four people were brought to safety.

Gas Canisters Explode in Shop Fire

The second incident startled local residents with several “explosive-like noises” in the early morning. When firefighters arrived at the shop in Hernals, flames were already bursting through the shattered storefront. Multiple gas canisters continued to explode during the operation, damaging parked cars—one of which caught fire.

The fire was first tackled from outside under heavy smoke protection, then brought under control from the inside. The stairwell and neighboring apartments were also checked for safety.