The 21-year-old was on his way to work at the police station when he noticed a fire in a historic single-family house dating back to the 16th century. Neighbors had already called the fire brigade while the man woke the residents from their sleep and brought them to safety, according to a police statement on Wednesday.
The fire broke out at around 7:30 a.m. due to a technical defect in the electric stove and set the kitchen ablaze. Since the house is located on Frohnleitner Hauptplatz, the smoke from the first floor was quickly noticed. Neighbors called the fire department, but it was unclear whether anyone was still in the building. The police cadet rang the bell and knocked on the door several times until the 89-year-old homeowner opened it. The man had not yet noticed the flames.
Together with the 21-year-old, the two rescued the 89-year-old wife, who was still in the bedroom on the first floor. All three were able to leave the house unharmed. The fire brigade then prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings. After about an hour, the fire was declared “out”. The extent of the damage was not yet known on Wednesday.