Viktor Saaremets, deputy director general of the Rescue Board, said the last few days have been “quite busy and somewhat tragic” for his agency.
“As of this morning (December 26), we have had 164 calls related to various rescue incidents. That’s about 20 more than the year before. There were 21 building fires in total, and unfortunately, one person died in those fires. We also had to evacuate 17 people from buildings, and several others were injured. The most serious fires occurred in Ida-Viru and Lääne-Viru counties,” Saaremets said.
On the evening of December 24 at 5:45 p.m., a fire was reported in an apartment on Järveküla tee in the Järve district of Kohtla-Järve. Rescuers pulled a woman from a smoke-filled, burning apartment. The fire may have been caused by careless smoking and the apartment did not have a smoke detector.
That same evening at 6:55 p.m., another fire was reported in an apartment building on Sääse tänav in Tamsalu. One person died en route to the hospital and three others sustained smoke-related injuries.
Viktor Saaremets Source: Siim Lõvi /ERR
Smoking warning
“Smoking, as well as alcohol and carelessness, are the main causes of accidents during the holidays. People leave open flames or cigarette butts unattended, and fires can start quickly from that. Since the holiday period is still ongoing and more days off are ahead, we would like to remind people once again that smoking indoors is definitely not a good idea. It should be done outside, and cigarette butts should be extinguished in a jar filled with water. The same goes for all sources of open flame — food left on a stove or in an oven — do not leave anything unattended,” Saaremets stressed.
The deputy director also reminded the public to follow instructions printed on fireworks packaging.
“They are not just there for decoration, and they should be taken very seriously. If fireworks are used on New Year’s Eve, it is important to make sure the packaging has been fully extinguished afterward. One must be extremely cautious with all types of fire-starting tools and open flames — not just during the holidays but at all times. However, during the holidays, people’s minds tend to wander, and inattentiveness is more likely to occur,” Saaremets said.
Strong winds on December 25 also kept rescue workers busy as 27 fallen trees were reported to be blocking roads. They also responded to 12 traffic accidents.
“It can be assumed that the stormy weather has contributed to the number of calls. We also know that strong winds are forecast for the upcoming weekend, so there will likely be more incidents. The number of fires has also been quite significant in recent days, so we ask people to act sensibly and take as much personal responsibility as possible to avoid such accidents,” Saaremets said.
PPA: ‘Alcohol consumption’ sums up Christmas
Taavi Kirss. Source: ERR
Taavi Kirss, senior official at the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), said the holidays have also been busy for police.
Although the number of calls is lower than last year, there have been more high-risk incidents where people’s lives or health were in danger.
“Our main calls have been related to domestic violence. Since Monday, we have responded to 159 domestic violence incidents, and in 70 of those cases, children were present and witnessed the events. In 13 cases, the police had to issue restraining orders against the aggressors,” said Kirss.
For the PPA, the holiday period is best characterized by the phrase “alcohol consumption,” he said. Old conflicts and unresolved issues tend to surface during drinking sessions. Alcohol also alters people’s behavior, which has led to more domestic violence and general aggression.
“The number of domestic violence cases is about the same as last year, but the more days off people have and the more alcohol is consumed together, the more problems arise and the more violence increases,” Kirss said.
Island firearms incident
Since the start of the week, police have conducted 16,252 sobriety checks and identified 37 drunk drivers. While the number of traffic accidents has been relatively low, seven people have been injured in crashes, one of them due to a drunk driver. On December 23 in Võru, a drunk driver ran off the road and was injured.
“For the police, the most difficult and complex cases are those that happen behind closed doors. One example I’d like to highlight took place on Manija island, where a 52-year-old man set fire to an outbuilding and threatened his family with a firearm. This was a particularly tense situation for police, as it took place on an isolated island. We responded with significant force, and rapid response officers apprehended the man on the island, where a firearm was also recovered. Firefighters extinguished the fire in both the outbuilding and the main residence. Unfortunately, the outbuilding burned down completely. A criminal investigation is now underway, and the man has been separated from his family,” Kirss said.
Police have increased patrols following last week’s bomb explosion at Ãœlemiste shopping center in Tallinn. Currently, there are 87 more patrols on the streets than usual, and various public events and gathering spots — including bus stations, ports, and the airport — are being monitored.
“We have conducted 593 inspections, with patrols making their presence known, communicating with store staff and security personnel, and watching for any safety hazards related to specific locations, which we are working with businesses to resolve,” Kirss said.
—
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!