For many years, the daily life of several residents of Liepaja was disrupted by their neighbor, who kept a huge amount of junk in his apartment. Before going to bed, the man decided to light the stove, but the plan failed, and the flames spread to nearby household items. As a result of the tragedy, the nearly 100-year-old pensioner died.
A huge pile of things in the yard of the house on Vites Street, as residents of the building say, is just a small part of what the 96-year-old resident of the first floor has brought into his home over more than 20 years. It was because of this habit that rescuers had to work for a long time at this address, reports the program Degpunktā (TV3).
"A person with signs of a 'collector' was found in the burning apartment. He filled the premises with various household items, which, of course, complicates firefighting and rescue operations," confirmed GPSS representative Lauris Bullis. He reported that the man, who was carried out of the premises, was handed over to medical personnel, who pronounced him dead.
The fire, covering an area of 20 square meters, was simultaneously noticed by several residents of the building. One of them was a resident of the second floor, who was already used to the strange smell coming from her downstairs neighbor's apartment, so at first, she didn’t even realize that a fire had started.
"Around half past eleven at night, I smelled smoke. I looked out the window — his son from Saldus had arrived. He ran outside. I asked: 'What are you doing at half past eleven — what’s burning?' And he replied: 'I can’t put out this flame anymore.' The neighbor decided to burn papers," says the resident of the building, who had a dog left in her apartment at that moment.
Little Betty is happily running around the yard today, enjoying the fresh air instead of sitting alone in a smoke-filled room.
The residents of the building admit that it will be impossible to return to their apartments for some time. They are currently looking for temporary accommodation in a hotel. They have also already contacted insurers, as it is clear that serious repairs will be needed.
During the fire, a man who was injured in the incident sought medical assistance. According to unofficial information, he is the son of the deceased.
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