Violent fire kills 89-year-old woman in Călan apartment block, 12 residents evacuated

An 89-year-old woman died after a violent fire broke out Sunday afternoon in a fourth-floor apartment in a residential building in Călan, Hunedoara County.

When firefighters arrived, flames had engulfed the apartment and dense smoke had spread through much of the stairwell. Crews from Bretea Română and Hunedoara responded with two water-and-foam engines, an aerial ladder and a command vehicle. Medical teams from SMURD and the county ambulance service also went to the scene.

Twelve residents, including 11 adults and one child, evacuated because of the heavy smoke. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but it also spread to part of the building’s roof. During the intervention, they found the woman dead inside the apartment.

After putting out the fire, crews used a special fan to clear smoke from the stairwell. They also checked nearby apartments to determine whether the fire had caused further damage and whether residents could return safely. Representatives of the Hunedoara emergency service said an electrical short circuit in a kitchen appliance was the probable cause. Authorities are continuing to establish the full circumstances.