Apartment blaze injures 5

(str/aw) Five people including three children were rushed to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after a major fire broke out in 2 semi-detached houses divided into apartments on Wednesday afternoon.

Just after 2pm a neighbour noticed fire and smoke coming from the building on rue de l’Usine, Esch-sur Alzette and immediately notified the emergency services. "When I got to the house, an elderly man was coming out with three children bringing them to safety" he told wort.lu. "Their faces were all blackened. The elderly man certainly saved them".

Flames from the roof

Firefighters from Esch-sur-Alzette were at the scene within minutes. "Fire in a home for asylum seekers was reported to us," said fire Chief Guy Bernard. "Fire spread across the roof, but also dense smoke was rising from the second floor."

Five people, two adults and three children, were admitted to hospital with smoke inhalation. A total of 18 people were registered at the address: asylum seekers from former Yugoslavia - three families with children.

Blaze fought with 2 turntable ladders

"As the fire was spread across two roofs we could not tackle it with just one ladder, we immediately decided to ask for reinforcements from Schifflange," added Commander Escher. Firefighters with breathing apparatus forced their way into the house and fought the blaze from inside. The tall trees on Rue de l'Usine, and the large surrounding buildings did not make the job any easier for firefighters to gain external access to the buildings.

According to firefighters, the cause of the blaze had been identified as originating from a kitchen located on the third floor. The flames then spread across the uninhabited attic and roof area.

It took firefighters nearly 30 minutes to contain the fire. Both houses are now uninhabitable after the blaze.