Drama in Mainz: Fire brigade saves 78-year-old from smoky apartment!

The Mainz fire brigade saved a 78-year-old man from a heavily qualified apartment in the Mainz Oberstadt on December 26, 2024. The neighbors chose the emergency call after hearing smoke and calls for help from the apartment. According to initial knowledge, the man apparently wanted to prepare baguettes in the oven, which led to smoke development.

The fire brigade found the smell of fire and several triggered smoke alarms. In order to gain access to the apartment, the fire brigade had to penetrate violently. The 78-year-old was found in the smoky apartment in a helpless location and suffered slight flue gas poisoning. He was cared for by the emergency services on site and then taken to a hospital. The entire mission lasted about an hour and comprised 16 fire brigade, police, emergency services and an energy supplier. The amount of damage caused by the smoke in the kitchen is still unclear, but the apartment is expected to remain habitable.

role of smoke alarms

In a connection with the incident, it was found that most victims do not die on the flames in housing fires, but to poisonous smoke. According to a research of techem, up to 90 % of the fire victims die by suffocating, often after just a few breaths. The poisonous gas spreads quickly and can severely restrict the view within three minutes, which makes an escape impossible.

The dangerous gases include hydrogen chlorine, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, which arise when combining different materials. The thumb rule says that you only have three minutes to escape in the event of a fire. That is why fire detectors, smoke alarms, gas detectors and co-deters are of great importance because they raise the alarm at an early stage. The multi-sensor plus combines the functions of a smoke alarm and a co-detector in a device that warns of smoke, carbon monoxide, heat and increased humidity.