On Tuesday, a distressing incident occurred at a cottage in the Slovak village of Lehota pod Vtáčnikom, in the Prievidza district, resulting in injuries to several people, including children from Prague. The unfortunate event took place when a gas stove, connected to a gas tank, exploded at the location where a group of children aged between 12 and 16 were staying, accompanied by several adults.
The cottage, which was intended to serve as a mountaineering camp at the local tourist hut Smrečina, experienced the explosion, as confirmed by the operations center of the Trencin Fire and Rescue Service. In response to the emergency, all available rescue services were swiftly dispatched to the scene, with 15 firefighters and six pieces of equipment from Prievidza and Trenčín taking part. Additionally, two rescue helicopters from Banská Bystrica and Bratislava landed at the site to provide assistance.
Prior to the incident, the hut was supposed to house a total of 13 people, including ten children. As per reports, nine people were initially presumed to be injured, although the full extent of the injuries remained uncertain at that time. The cottage, a two-storey structure measuring six by ten meters, suffered severe damage, with half of it collapsing due to the explosion, as conveyed by Marián Petrík, spokesperson for the Trenčín Region fire department.
Among the injured were two adults and seven children. The adults sustained light to moderate injuries, while the condition of the children’s injuries could not be disclosed due to their young age. Prompt medical attention was provided at the scene before they were transported to various hospitals in Banská Bystrica, Bratislava, Bojnice, Topolčany, and Trenčín.
The rescue operation was challenging due to the difficult terrain around the cottage. One of the helicopters had to use an onboard winch to lower medics to the site. They attended to the injured, including an 11-year-old girl of Czech nationality, who suffered injuries to her face. After treatment on-site, she was taken to the Children’s University Hospital in Banská Bystrica in a stable and conscious condition. Another Czech woman, aged 45, was also treated for an upper limb injury and several superficial injuries before being transported to a hospital in Banská Bystrica.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as a terrifying ordeal. Apparently, the children narrowly escaped tragedy as they were in the kitchen cooking cocoa on the gas stove while the gas tank was stored in the cellar. Once the cocoa was ready, they followed others into the common room, and suddenly a massive explosion occurred, knocking down two walls. Miraculously, the structure held on with just two remaining walls. If the children had not left the kitchen when they did, the consequences could have been far more devastating.
The situation has caused great concern and highlights the importance of ensuring safety measures and awareness when handling gas equipment. The authorities are likely to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future.
Source: novinky.cz
