During the tragedy in Viršuliškės, the elderly man who was left homeless and empty-handed consoled the mayor: “Let me take some money”

A half-naked man jumped out

Juozas spoke to journalists on Wednesday in a kindergarten near the burnt house, where the press conference of Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas and representatives of the firemen and police was held at that time. He came to the press conference to ask questions that concerned him. After the press conference, Mayor V. Benkunskas joined Juozo and answered his questions.

“Babaaah. I even curled up, thinking that Putin sent me a gift (thought that the house was hit by a missile or a drone, – ed. post). Because I turned 80 on January 1st. I was the most scared, I thought the war was regarding to start. And then I ran outside half-naked and then they didn’t let me. That was the end of it all.

I was the most scared, I thought the war was regarding to start. And then I ran outside half-naked and then they didn’t let me. That was the end of it all.

VIDEO: Juozas, who witnessed the explosion: I thought that Putin sent me a gift

He no longer knows where he will live

Juoz’s apartment was on the first floor, in the middle. When asked what he would like to take from the apartment, he said: “I don’t have any money, I would like to take my passport, pensioner’s certificate and bank card, because everything is left, I didn’t take anything.” Then the firefighters brought my jacket and shoes, but there was water in the shoes, so they took them to an acquaintance to dry them.”

Everything was left, I didn’t take anything. Then the firefighters brought my jacket and shoes, but there was water in the shoes, so they took them to an acquaintance to dry them.

When asked where he is now, Juozas replied that he is at his acquaintances. He considered that it might be necessary to try the requested social housing: “Why do people have to climb on their necks?” This is my problem.” Juozas said that he lived alone in the same apartment since 1978, when the house was built: “I built it with my own money.”

Mention a strange neighbor

Asked what he thought might have happened, the senior said: “I don’t know. Up there, they explain that there was a fire, the police had come to that person twice. He knocked a second time and left. And then buuuch, trach bach and there is nothing.”

He said that he knew the neighbor, whose body is probably still lying on the fire ground, having communicated with him before: “And then in 2019, he stopped communicating and that’s it. He was a bit of a strange man.”

Juozas said that he hasn’t asked for any help yet, the most important thing for him is to be allowed home and to be able to take some money. He wondered if his apartment remained intact, or if everything was flooded.

The mayor tried to console

When Juozas spoke to journalists, Vilnius Mayor V.Benkunskas joined him, trying to calm the elderly man down. Juozas first asked the mayor if he would be allowed into the apartment.

Lukas Balandis/BNS photo/Juozas and Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas

The mayor explained to him that he had to wait in the kindergarten for the firefighters, who would pick up the residents one by one and escort them to their apartments, if they might be accessed. The mayor also told Juoz that he will be able to leave his contacts and will contact him every day if there is a need.

Juozas continued to express his concerns: “The refrigerator has been forced to bring food to me, it will die.” The mayor sighed: “I can’t say whether they will let you take the food away.” There won’t be much time there – passport, money, medicine and then everything, you go, because the house is not safe, God forbid, someone else will move.”

There won’t be much time there – passport, money, medicine and then that’s it, you go, because the house is not safe, God forbid, someone else will move.

Juozas specified that he did not want to take it away, but the food might be thrown away. Mayor Juozui left an information sheet with relevant information for the victims of the fire in Viršuliškių st. 101 and said goodbye.

The house may have to be demolished

At the moment, the residents of the house, who did not stay with relatives, are sheltering in a nearby hotel, where the Vilnius City Municipality provided them with accommodation.

V. Benkunskas, the mayor of the city of Vilnius, announced during the press conference that according to the initial conclusion of the experts, the apartment building is unsafe for operation.

According to him, this means that none of the 30 apartments will be habitable for the time being. As a result of the fire, 57 residents of the house were left without shelter. 18 of them were temporarily accommodated in hotels, others stayed with relatives. Those in need will be offered social housing without a queue.

According to the mayor, it is not yet known whether the residents will ever be able to return to it.

“There is a possibility that the house will never be put into operation, but today we cannot say that yet,” V. Benkunskas said.

The cause of the explosions and fire is not yet clear. One of the possible versions that caused the explosion is a gas leak.

Renaldas Žekonis, head of the Vilnius County Chief Police Commissariat, announced at a press conference that the pre-trial investigation into the incident has not yet been started, but materials are being collected regarding the damage and destruction of property.

“Once our fellow firefighters can get inside and the experts can say the cause of the explosion and the fire, then we can start the legal assessment,” he said.

According to R. Žekonis, the affected house is protected by police crews all the time.

As announced, the explosion and fire in Vilnius, on Viršuliškių Street, in one of the apartments of an apartment building, took place on Tuesday, around 11:16 a.m.

Firefighters at regarding 3:33 p.m. the fire was localized. However, the fire was extinguished only on Wednesday morning.