Images and testimonies from the major fire in an apartment building in Elbasan are shedding light on the ordeal of residents who found themselves trapped by the flames. One of them said that, in order to survive, he jumped from the balcony, while the building was left uninhabitable after the explosion of a gas cylinder.
The explosion that turned the building into a danger zone
The incident happened a few days ago in Elbasan, where the explosion of a gas cylinder in an apartment building caused a large fire. The consequences were severe for residents, while the reported damage has rendered the building uninhabitable.
The case once again raises questions about safety conditions in homes and how such risks are managed in apartment blocks, especially when a single incident is enough to put the entire building out of use.
The moment of escape through the flames
According to testimony given immediately after the incident, a resident of one of the apartments tried to escape when he was surrounded by flames. He said he was injured and that, in the end, he jumped from the balcony.
The resident also described the moments of panic inside the apartment, saying that the balcony door had fallen on his head, while his son was returning from school and calling for help. The situation, according to his account, escalated within minutes.
Major material damage
In his account, the resident claims the financial damage amounts to as much as 80 million lek. He also said that only a month earlier he had again spent money on the apartment.
For the affected families, the consequences do not end with the moment of escape, but also extend to material losses and uncertainty over housing, as the building has been reported uninhabitable.
The incident in Elbasan remains another warning sign of the danger that can take fatal proportions in residential settings when even minimal safety is lacking and the response comes only after the damage has been done.
So far, the focus has been on residents’ testimonies and the scale of the damage left behind by the fire.