Brno/Oleksovice, South Moravia, March 12 (CTK) – Three children, aged from one to nine years, died and four adults suffered injuries in a fire of a family house in Oleksovice near Znojmo in the small hours on Monday, the spokespersons for the firefighters and emergency service have told CTK.
The children were born in 2009, 2014 and 2017.
The adults, except for a disabled elderly woman, were waiting outside when the firefighters arrived. They carried the children and the senior woman off the house. Rescuers tried to resuscitate two of the children, but in vain.
The fire completely destroyed one room where children stayed and caused damage to other rooms and the corridor, South Moravia fire corps spokesman Jaroslav Mikoska said.
Both professional and volunteer firefighters were putting out the fire from about 4:00. They managed to extinguish it in two hours.
“The four adults were transported to various health care facilities. The air emergency service also assisted on the spot,” emergency service spokeswoman Michaela Bothova said.
The elderly woman was airlifted by a helicopter to Brno, while another three adults were driven to a hospital in Znojmo, she added.
The woman has breathed in smoke, but her condition is stable and her life is not threatened, Brno Teaching Hospital spokesman Pavla Zara said.
Investigators are examining the scene of accident now.
The cause of the fire has not been found out yet, Znojmo police spokeswoman Lenka Drahokoupilova said.
An expert in wiring has arrived to inspect the place and secure traces, she added.
The family, leasing the house, has lived in Oleksovice for some two years, mayor Zdenek Koukal said.
A woman with her children and common-law husband as well as her mother and grandmother inhabited the house, according to CTK sources.
The mayor is now negotiating with a charity organisation about material aid to the family.
