Photo: Michael Will / BRK
EICHELBERG – A roof fire occurred on Sunday morning (July 18) in Eichelberg. The cause of the fire was initially unclear and no one was injured.
A neighbor discovered the smoke in the building on Mühlstrasse shortly before 8 a.m. and made an emergency call. At that time, thick smoke was coming from an attic window.
The Integrated Control Center (ILS) Schweinfurt then alerted a large number of fire brigades, which arrived after just a few minutes and started fighting the fire from numerous nozzles. Wearers of breathing apparatus penetrated the interior of the house, to which a barn is directly attached and which is only about 50 meters away from the wood storage area of a sawmill. The turntable ladder of the Ebern fire brigade was also on standby.
At the time the fire broke out, there was no resident in the directly affected part of the building, according to the local police. A young man slept in an annex. According to the police, the house is inhabited by a total of three people.
The fire brigade managed to bring the fire under control after a short time so that there was no danger to neighboring buildings. Overall, the fire brigades from Ebern, Eichelberg, Reutersbrunn, Heubach and Unterpreppach were deployed under the direction of the Reutersbrunn deputy fire brigade commander Michael Walz with around 40 helpers.
The ILS had also ordered an ambulance from Ebern as well as the BRK head of rescue service to the scene of the accident. At the same time, a second ambulance was alerted from Haßfurt, which brought a special measuring device to the scene. This can be used to measure the carbon monoxide content in the blood of those affected who have inhaled smoke gas using a finger clip and thus determine whether there is a threat to their health. Fortunately, none of the residents had inhaled smoke gas. An ambulance then remained on site to protect the fire service colleagues until they had finished their work with heavy breathing protection. Fire brigade press spokesman Fabian Weber announced the official end of the mission at 10:20 a.m.
The cause of the fire was initially unclear. According to the first findings of the police, there is likely to be a smoldering fire in the area of the roof structure. The first investigations were carried out by officers from the Ebern police station, which were subsequently carried out by the Schweinfurt criminal police.
Keyword carbon monoxide:
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a chemical compound made up of carbon and oxygen. It is an extremely toxic, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is produced, among other things, by the combustion of carbon-containing substances such as wood, gas or oil, as well as in building fires.
In addition to fires, potential sources of danger include inadequately maintained or defective gas boilers, heating systems or exhaust gas backflow due to blocked exhaust and supply air routes. Carbon monoxide is very easily absorbed through the lungs and quickly enters the bloodstream, where it severely affects the transport of oxygen. Depending on the CO concentration in the ambient air, this can very quickly lead to unconsciousness and subsequently to death.
Symptoms of mild poisoning are headache, dizziness and flu-like symptoms. Higher doses are toxic to the central nervous system and heart. Even after several breaths, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, with prolonged exposure and higher doses, unconsciousness and death can occur.
Source: Bavarian Red Cross District Association Haßberge
