A fire in an apartment building on Vainodes Street in Riga led to a large-scale rescue operation and evacuation of residents. After the fire was extinguished, neighbors were drawn to the owner of the apartment, who ended up in a police van.
A report of a fire in a three-story residential building was received by rescuers on Tuesday. The source of the fire was located in an apartment on the second floor, according to the show Degpunktā (TV3).
By the time emergency services arrived, six people had managed to leave the smoke-filled building on their own. Three more residents had to be rescued using breathing masks and special equipment.
One of the residents on the third floor was evacuated through a window.
"The firefighters came and saved me — I climbed down the ladder through the window from the third floor," the man said.
After the people were brought to safety, firefighters began to extinguish the fire. The operation lasted nearly three hours. According to Agris Asups, the commander of the 1st Riga Fire and Rescue Service, the apartment contained a burning sofa, household items, and part of a wall over a total area of 21 square meters.
The situation was complicated by the building's structure. Due to wooden partitions, rescuers had to break through the walls to ensure that the fire had not spread to neighboring premises.
While firefighters battled the flames, medics and police officers were working near the house. Neighbors were particularly drawn to a man who was in the detainee compartment of a police van. According to the residents, this was the owner of the burning apartment.
Neighbors suspect that the fire may have started due to careless handling of fire while smoking. They also reported that the man was in a highly emotional state after the incident and tried to return to the apartment.
"He probably wanted to save something. The police had to hold him back," one neighbor said.
According to residents, the man was experiencing family difficulties and had consumed alcohol that day. However, neighbors describe him as a calm and non-conflict person.
The State Police reported that no criminal proceedings would be initiated regarding the incident. Furthermore, the man has already reached an agreement with the apartment owner to compensate for the damage caused.
This incident once again demonstrates how quickly a domestic fire can threaten not only property but also the safety of all residents in the building.
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