On March 7, 2024, at 16:56, an alarm was triggered by ILS Amberg with the keyword "B3 Person." The entire firefighting unit of the Nittenau Fire Department, along with the First Responder, responded to the call. While en route, another report indicated multiple people still inside the building, a multi-family house with 52 registered residents.
Upon arrival, dense smoke was visible throughout the building, and individuals in the upper floor were calling for help at the windows. Additional residents were believed to be in the ground floor and basement, according to witnesses.
Multiple teams wearing breathing apparatuses were immediately dispatched to search for individuals in the building. Five people from the upper floor, including four children, were rescued using a turntable ladder. Several individuals on balconies at the rear of the building were rescued with extension ladders.
Additional persons were located by the teams in breathing apparatuses and brought to safety using escape hoods. The emergency services established a casualty collection point and a registration point in a nearby gymnasium. All 48 individuals in the building were rescued or managed to exit on their own. The emergency services provided care for 28 people, with three in moderate and two in serious condition, primarily due to smoke inhalation.
The fire, originating in a cellar compartment, was swiftly extinguished. The following fire departments were involved in the operation: VFD Nittenau, VFD Bergham, VFD Bruck, VFD Neuhaus, VFD Reichenbach and VFD Roding. The emergency medical services deployed eleven ambulances, four patient transport vehicles, two helicopters from Regensburg and Weiden, along with seven on-site doctors. A substantial police presence was also observed at the scene.
Thanks to the exemplary coordination of all emergency personnel, there were no human casualties. The criminal investigation department determined a technical defect in an electrical device in the basement as the cause of the fire.
