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Fire at workers’ hostel near Budapest: bodies found in ruins after gas cylinder explosion – UPDATE: new victim
A devastating early-morning fire at a workers’ hostel in Budakeszi, just west of Budapest, has left multiple people dead and more than 20 injured after flames engulfed the roof of a two-storey building.
According to reports by Index and Hungary’s state news agency MTI, the blaze broke out at around 2:15 AM on Friday in the Sport Hotel on Zichy Péter Street, which was being used as worker accommodation. Authorities believe a gas cylinder explosion may have triggered the fire.
The roof structure burned in its entirety, and the building caught fire several times even after firefighters began extinguishing the flames, significantly hampering rescue efforts. By the time firefighters reached the scene, nearly 200 square metres of the row-house style building were already ablaze, with the fire spreading to the roof structure.
Bodies discovered during search
Fire crews rescued numerous occupants from the smoke-filled building, while others fled on their own. By around 8 AM, emergency teams searching the wreckage had discovered two bodies among the ruins. Officials warned that further victims could still be inside, as several people were initially unaccounted for.
While disaster management authorities initially reported only injuries, Mayor Ottilia Győri later confirmed that the incident had also claimed lives, 444.hu reported.
Local outlet Budakeszi Hír reported that the fire had not been fully brought under control even shortly before 7 AM, with parts of the structure repeatedly reigniting.
Mass-casualty response launched
A large-scale emergency operation was mounted under the direction of the county disaster management service. Professional firefighters from the capital used multiple high-pressure water jets to contain the blaze and also removed several additional gas cylinders from the building to prevent further explosions.
The Országos Mentőszolgálat dispatched more than 40 paramedics and 18 ambulances under its mass-casualty protocol.
Spokesman Pál Győrfi said 22 people required medical treatment. Four suffered life-threatening injuries, three were seriously hurt, and the rest sustained minor injuries. Casualties were transported to eight hospitals across Budapest.
Traffic restrictions and local support
Police, public safety officers and volunteer firefighters assisted at the scene, and traffic restrictions were introduced along the affected stretch of road. The municipality provided overnight accommodation at the mayor’s office for those displaced.
An investigation into the exact cause of the blaze is underway.
UPDATE: 4th victim
The mayor of Budakeszi, Ottilia Győri, told 24.hu that a person who had been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries had also died. They are the fourth victim of the fire. According to Győri, the tragedy has deeply shocked the residents. The disaster management authorities told 24.hu that illegal gas consumption in the building led to the tragedy.
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