Fire brigade saves Altbacher from kitchen fire – neighbors act quickly!

Fire brigade saves Altbacher from kitchen fire – neighbors act quickly!

In the municipality of Altbach in the Esslingen district, a dangerous incident occurred on Sunday, May 26, 2025, when a resident of a residential building on Kelterstrasse forgot food on the stove while cooking. As the Stuttgart News According to reports, the resident fell asleep in another room while the food sizzled away unnoticed. Neighbors who noticed the rising smoke immediately alerted the fire department at around 1 p.m.

Thanks to the neighbors' quick action, something worse was prevented. The fire department arrived in a timely manner without reporting any significant damage or injuries. The cooked food posed a serious fire risk; In many homes, kitchens are the most common place for fires, often caused by overheated oils and fats, such as the KFV explained.

Risk of fire in the kitchen

Grease fires, which often result from unattended cooking, pose a significant risk. According to the KFV, an average of 562 fires occurred annually in Upper Austria between 2019 and 2023, of which 71 were grease fires. The costs of such fires amount to around 2.6 million euros, although the number of unreported cases could potentially be 50% higher. Critical temperatures for self-ignition of fat are around 280 °C. In the event of a grease fire, the KFV advises that you remove the pot from the heat source and cover it with a lid or fire blanket instead of using water, as this could lead to a grease explosion.

Preventive measures include installing smoke alarms, regular maintenance of electrical equipment, and removing fire hazards such as papers or cloths from near cooking areas. Particular caution is required, especially during the winter and Christmas seasons, when kitchens are often used more heavily.

More incidents in the region

However, there were other incidents in the region on the same day. For example, a traffic accident occurred in Hayingen in which a 57-year-old driver drove his BMW M2 off the road and landed in a ditch. The material damage is estimated at around 70,000 euros. The fire brigade was also on duty in Metzingen after a technical defect in a compressor triggered a fire alarm, but no fire was detected. In addition, a burnt down garden house in Nürtingen had to be extinguished, although investigations into the cause of the fire are still ongoing Press portal reported.

These events highlight the need for vigilance and preventive measures to avoid dangerous situations, be it in the kitchen or in traffic.