Burning wreaths, deadly fires and animal rescues: Christmas Eve kept Hungarian firefighters on nonstop alert

Hungarian firefighters were kept busy throughout Christmas Eve, responding to a total of 179 emergency call-outs nationwide, according to the National Directorate General for Disaster Management. The incidents ranged from house fires and carbon monoxide leaks to road accidents and animal rescues, with one tragic fatality reported.

Dozens of fires, several homes left uninhabitable

Fire crews were alerted to 47 fire-related incidents on 24 December, 30 of which involved residential buildings. In several cases, the fires caused such severe damage that residents were forced to leave their homes, the National Directorate General for Disaster Management reported.

In the early hours of the morning, a family house in Százhalombatta caught fire in the attic space. Although firefighters managed to extinguish the flames, the property became uninhabitable, and the occupant had to move in with relatives. A similar incident occurred later in the day in Ónod, where the roof structure of a family home caught fire, forcing five residents to seek temporary accommodation.

In Esztergom, a kitchen fire broke out in a terraced house shortly after 9 PM, spreading to the attic and the roof of a neighbouring property. Firefighters removed three gas cylinders from the building, but the flat was left unfit for habitation, and five people were displaced.

Advent wreaths and decorative fireplaces among fire causes

Several fires were linked to festive decorations and heating appliances. In Püspökladány, an advent wreath caught fire and ignited a nearby sofa, requiring fire brigade intervention. In Győrzámoly, flames from a decorative fireplace set nearby decorations, furniture and a television alight, although residents managed to contain the blaze before firefighters arrived.

A further fire in Szeged affected a third-floor flat in a block of flats, where an elderly woman had to be rescued using a ladder truck. Ten residents were temporarily evacuated but were later allowed to return home.

• BREAKING: Teen girl stabbed outside Budapest nightclub in shocking early-morning attack

Fatal fire in Hajdúszovát

Christmas Eve claimed one life when a fire broke out in a habitable outbuilding attached to a family home in Hajdúszovát shortly after 5 AM. An elderly woman was rescued from the blaze but later died as a result of her injuries.