New Year's Eve 2025: 389 missions for the fire department - one injured by fireworks!

New Year's Eve 2025: 389 missions for the fire department - one injured by fireworks!

As is so often the case, New Year's Eve in Vienna was a real marathon for the professional fire department. On January 1, 2026, at 1:15 p.m., a fire broke out in a Fischertaubel hut on Danube Island, which required emergency services. On the night of New Year's Day, the Vienna Fire Department had to deal with a total of 389 missions. A high level of effort, which reached a noticeable peak, especially between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., as vienna.at reports.

Small and hallway fires, balcony and room fires as well as burning garbage containers kept the fire department on its toes. Strong winds also led to increased storm damage. Despite the challenges, the emergency services worked closely and efficiently with the police and other organizations to be able to complete all operations quickly and quickly. A firefighter was slightly injured in Vienna-Simmering when a fireworks rocket hit him; a situation that is unfortunately not rare, as the past New Year's Eve has shown.

Operations in detail

Things got particularly tricky on Schweglergasse in Vienna-Rudolfsheim, where a fire broke out in an exhaust pipe of a restaurant with a charcoal grill. Luckily there were no injuries here. Three balcony fires on Engerthstraße (Brigittenau), at Handelskai (Leopoldstadt) and in Laimäckergasse (Favoriten) were also noticed early by attentive passers-by and were quickly extinguished by the fire department.

Yellowness and disorder could not be overlooked in many backyards and garbage rooms on New Year's Eve. Burning garbage containers were a real test of nerves for the emergency services, who had to intervene immediately. In addition, there were two initial fires in several basement areas that were quickly brought under control - an effective preview of what could have been.

A new vintage with fire

The fire-fighting work on the Danube Island was particularly challenging. The fire brigade fought the flames of the Fischertaubelhütte with breathing apparatus and a water cannon from a fire boat. The fire, which threatened to spread to the surrounding areas, was fortunately contained thanks to the fire department's quick response, as can be read in a report from meinbezirk.at.

In summary, it can be said that New Year's Eve 2025/26 presented the Vienna Fire Department with major challenges, which they mastered with flying colors. The events also show how important the collaboration of police and fire protection organizations is in such critical moments. Even though the number of operations was high, the rapid response of the emergency services prevented major damage and injuries. A positive aspect in times when many cities are confronted with similar challenges, as mentioned in feuerwehr-ub.de.

Cheers to the vigilant fire brigade, whose efforts will continue to be indispensable in the future!