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May 25, 2012
Six die in Stockholm apartment fire
Published: 26 Jul 09 10:00 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/20910/20090726/
A 42-year-old Somali woman and five of her daughters, aged one to 16, have died in a fire that broke out in an apartment in Rinkeby in western Stockholm on Saturday evening.
- Fire engines delayed by giant flower pots (25 May 12)
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The tragedy is the deadliest in the Scandinavian country since 1998, when a fire in the city of Gothenburg killed 63 people.
The fire broke out around 10.00pm on the ground floor of a block of flats on Kuddbygränd in the district of Rinkeby, about 15 kilometres west of the Swedish capital, and all the victims died of smoke inhalation.
"The fire started in a ground-floor flat and spread through the building, which caused the deaths," Stockholm police spokesman Jens Wismar told AFP.
Police dismissed reports in Swedish media, which cited witnesses saying the victims died trapped in the building's lift.
During a press conference on Sunday, emergency services added the bodies were found in the block's staircases.
The apartment was described by the emergency services as a loft apartment and it is not known how many people were inside when the fire broke out. By the time emergency services arrived on the scene the apartment was ablaze.
Twelve apartments in the building were evacuated and residents were unable to return to their homes later on Saturday night. Temporary accommodation was arranged for those affected.
Many of those interviewed by TT at the scene commented on what they felt was an inordinate delay in the arrival of the emergency services.
"We have called in technicians to examine what has happened," said Lars Byström of Stockholm police at a press conference in Rinkeby.
TT's reporter described chaotic scenes in the vicinity of the burning building and on Sunday morning many local residents remained in the dark over the safety of their friends, family and neighbours.
"I was woken up by the sirens during the night, I have friends that live in the building and I am trying to get hold of them now," a neighbour told TT's reporter at the scene.
The cause of the fire, which led to the evacuation of around 20 people in the area, was still being investigated but police do not believe it was started intentionally.
Current evidence pointed more towards "dangerous negligence," police spokeswoman Karin Solberg told Swedish news agency TT.
Built mostly in the 1960s, Rinkeby is a modest district with a large immigrant community.
More than 60 percent of its inhabitants were born outside Sweden, according to figures from local authorities.
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1) Was there a legitimate reason for the story to include "in the predominantly immigrant district " ?
2) The description of people waiting for emergency services is almost always described as taking too long, or similar descriptions. Having a long history in this type of work I would like to point out hat this is not always the case. It is often merely the perception of someone that is helpless to do anything in an emergency situation except wait. Until the times are checked from the SOS logs, publishing unsubstantiated statements like this are only likely to create a problem, especially when coupled with "in the predominantly immigrant district".
It is always hard when people, especially children die in a fire. Just spare a thought for the guys that have to deal with charred remains of the victims before you start to knock them.
Well said.
I agree with you, it seems that even the Local can`t fight the charm of combining sensitive descriptions like "in the predominantly immigrant district" when telling an event can happen anywhere in Sweden, I think it is the European style when dealing with the inside events "in the predominantly immigrant district".
See what happened just nearby:
http://www.svd.se/stockholm/nyheter/artikel_3258935.svd
Tensta, Husby, Rinkeby... really nice neighbourhoods... the "Rosengårds" of Stockholm...
Just look'em up in Wikipedia... scary I would say... nothing left but to congratulate the politicians.
John Doe you are a toe rag one day after a family is almost wiped out you have to trown in your rednecked tuppence why don't you just get lost!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/07/26...laze/index.html
The sad thing is that these people would likely have survived if they stayed in their flat.
Read more on www.msbmyndigheten.se regarding regulations and advice.
Here you hare the full regulations:
http://www.boverket.se/Global/Bygga_o_forv..._brandskydd.pdf
generally in case fire just go out of house. but many people start searching for things to take with them, that is catastrof.
This could be also the case that people die from fire where we have a fire department it is is such a shame and should be investigated. If they responded in time manner or not.
there's nothing that musters credibility, strength of character and intelligence better than informing the world that you love to fight and calling someone out. i'm in awe of the intellectual prowess we have in our midst.
*pines for a day-gone-by when people used their brains, rhetoric and humor to discuss a topic.
@kind man
you are a funny guy. no body is forcing someone to stay in sweden. if you think swedish people are racist just go to arland airport and go home.
I was surprised when the SWEDISH BLOND DOCTOR in Huddinge skjukhus who is paid to help the public that he cant help me because I did not hold the swedish ID!
A canadian doctor ffrom a Non Government Organization helped me later since both of us were immigrants!
They are not aware that they should feel the door to see if it is hot before opening it. To cover themselves in wet blankets. Staying out of the elevator, although it appears they did take the stairs. They could have covered their mouths with an article of clothing and made a go of it. Provided it was smoke and not fire, in the stairwell. Maybe staying in the apartment would have been best.
Emergency education? Does Sweden have local and free CPR classes etc...my home town in California did. I think it would be a good thing to make available to people...School assembly anyone? I loves me a good assembly.
A mother and 5 of her children heart breaking.
@As for the comments on the page I suspect many are from bitter "mutant inbred albinos".
"Most white people hate Black people the reason that most white people hate Black people is becuase white people are not black people. If you know this about white people you need know nothing else, if you do not know this about white people everything they do will only confuse you"
Muslim - immigrant code words for non-white.
Racist are not clever just jealous.
We have more "money" comment's from racist in 1..2..3..Go
Incidents like this are the main reason that I refuse to live in an apartment type building. Your life is in the hands of the idiot downstairs having a last cigarette while in bed.
.
Your country and other westren "peacekeepers" bombarded their homes in iraq and afghanistan and forced them to seek ayslum here in west! Well no one told them that instead they will be greeted by f**king racists like you!
Stop making fun and just think of the tragic loss of lives of innocent children.
how sad
How very very sad.
Please put your bickering somewhere else and just allow poeple to mourn in peace.
Having a pre-planned escape plan is an excellent idea, but how do we get that idea to the people? Does Sweden not have fire-escapes in their buildings? First-world-developed Sweden? In the U.S. it's like law...I mean Americans would have a sh*t-fit.
@To the Point - You should change your name to "I read all points" because the article stated the family was Somalian. This has nothing to do with Muslims, Iraq, or Afghanistan and the thousands that got displaced around Europe (most went to countries like Jordan) because they are not fighters. They are women and children and are being killed by their own.
Despite your very limited and possibly missing intelligence you persist in commenting beyond your abilities. You seem happy enough to divulge your ignorant opinions of Islam but perhaps we should be discussing what to do with damaged losers like you? Presumably you were driven to the Army recruitment office as you messed up your other career at the flea farm. Now fjuk off back to Ma and Pa in the hick state you came from. When you get there try some Russian roulette and even if you hit your head give it another go until a bullet finds your brain.
I fully understand. I was a Paramedic in a Mid West US Fire Dep't until moving to Sweden last November. As far as fire escapes in Sweden go, I have not seen the same setup as in the US but I haven't looked into it in detail yet. Like I said, I won't live in an apartment complex so I haven't noticed. But it does give me something to look into.
Take care.
RIP to the dead family members though. I hope the man and his two children will be alright.
Om de stannat i lägenheten kunde de ha klarat sig
Hade mamman och de fem barnen stannat i lägenheten hade de troligtvis klarat sig.
If the mother and five children had stayed in their apartment, they probably would have survived.
Röken i trapphuset gjorde att de blev medvetslösa direkt och inte hade en chans.
Smoke in the stairwell caused them to become unconscious, and they never had a chance.
– Troligtvis är det så, säger vice brandchef Christer Ängehov.
That is likely the case, says assistant fire chief Christer Ängehov.
Dörren till den branddrabbade lägenheten stod öppen. Rök från brinnande textilier, möbler och plaster fyllde trapphuset när mamman och barnen försökte ta sig ut.
The door to the burning apartment (sic, the one on the first floor where the fire started) stood open. Smoke from burning textiles, furniture and plaster filled the stairwell when the mother and children tried to evacuate.
– Sådan rök är så giftig att man efter ett eller två andetag blir medvetslös, säger stabsbefälet på Storstockholms brandförsvar, Denny Wincent.
Such smoke is so poisonous that after only one or two breathers, people become unconscious, says commanding officer Denny Wincent of Greater Stockholm's Fire Department.
I certainly never knew that one should stay in an apartment- that it is safer to stay than try to evacuate, according to Aftonbladet. They state that people have up to an hour before toxic smoke can reach the apartments farthest from the fires. The paper also conducted their own investigation as to how long it would take for the nearest fire department to respond, and found that it was over nine minutes- the fire department in question was there within ten. This is such a tragedy. As I said, I had no idea it was better to stay put, and I am sure that I would have also responded as this mom, trying to get my kids out as soon as possible. I am really grateful that people are discussing this issue, so that we can all be a bit better informed about how to respond to this type of event.
in general what are the laws on smoke detectors here?
Ive lived in 4 different apartments in my time here and none had smoke detectors in either the apartments, stairwells, basements etc..
When i was still renting i had to leave one on top of my wardrobe as the owner didnt want me to permanently fix one to the roof.
Is there any laws, rules etc on smoke detectors here?
The kind of comments and opinions that are being thrown around in here are exactly the same as the garbage that made me ashamed to be a Glasgow Rangers football fan. I deleted my profile from those forums because it was full of racist and bigotted drivel that detracted from what could have been an interesting forum. Almost every topic, regardless of how it started, always ended up going down the same path.
Of course its nowhere near as bad as that in here, not even close, but I think we should try and show a little restraint, especially in a thread which is of such a sad nature.
My thoughts go out to all of the people involved in this tragic accident.
The local should get the facts regarding when the call was made and how long did it take for the fire service to reach instead of writing stuff like people felt blah blah coupled with words like predominantly immigrant areas.