The first day of Christmas passed quietly for the emergency services, but Friday morning brought tragic news – during the night of Friday, December 26th, two people died in a fire in the Rēzekne municipality, according to Viktorija Gribuste, a representative of the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD), as reported by Latvian Radio.
There have been more road accidents this year than last year, but the number of victims is lower this year. Medical professionals have not encountered any very serious cases so far.
December 24th was a very quiet day for firefighters and rescuers, with no major fires or other serious incidents requiring their involvement. However, Viktorija Gribuste, a representative of the State Fire and Rescue Service, described Christmas Day as tragic:
“Yesterday morning, a person was injured in a fire in the Līvāni area, but was rescued. Then, shortly before five o’clock this morning, we received calls to the Rēzekne municipality , where a fire had broken out in a residential building. When the firefighters arrived at the scene, it was already clear that the entire 105 square meter residential building was on fire and the roof had collapsed.
Two people had managed to evacuate, one of whom was injured in the fire, but unfortunately, two fatalities were found in the residential building during the extinguishing work.
This year, December 24th and 25th were calmer on the roads than last year – a total of 138 traffic accidents were recorded, which is more than last year in terms of numbers, but the consequences were not as serious this year, said State Police representative Madara Šeršņova:
“Compared to last year, six more traffic accidents were recorded this year. Last year, 15 people were injured and one died, but this year, nine people have been injured, and there have been no fatalities.”
This year, four administrative proceedings have been initiated against drunk drivers, compared to 14 last year. 15 criminal proceedings have been initiated, compared to 25 last year. One criminal proceeding has been initiated for driving a vehicle under the influence of possible narcotic substances, compared to two criminal proceedings last year.
The past few days have been relatively quiet for the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD), according to NMPD representative Arita Freimane. The number of calls has been higher than usual, which is common during the holidays:
“We have had two serious incidents related to fires, where people have suffered burns and poisoning from combustion products. This case is related to the overheating of a stove. And every day there has been a serious traffic accident. Approximately two people have been injured each day. They have suffered very serious injuries – serious injuries to several parts of the body, fractures, and damage to internal organs. But they have all been taken to the hospital in a stable condition for further treatment.”
The holiday season is still ongoing, so the emergency services are still urging people to be very careful and cautious when handling fire and when participating in road traffic, not only as drivers but also as pedestrians, who must remember how important it is to use reflectors so that they are visible in the dark.
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