During the night until Saturday, the alarm came about a fire at the shopping center in Mjällby. A fire that could have spread even more if the part-time fire brigade's force had not been quickly in place.
- I saw the flames when I drove there at night. It was terribly tough. I saw the worst in front of me. This could have been a disaster for so many, says co-owner Albin Håkansson.
Spread quicklyThe fire occurred at one o'clock at night and started in some form of truck or shopping cart. The fire quickly spread to a storage room outside the store. Had the part-time fire brigade not been quickly on the scene, the entire shopping center of 5,000 square meters could have been on fire.
- It was very serious when we arrived. Had we not come, we would have had a big problem. Then everything had guaranteed to burn, says Andreas Nilsson, part-time firefighter in Mjällby who was first on site after the alarm.
Later, more forces arrived, a total of three were on site to fight the fire.
- The community service has really worked here. A fast caller and fire brigade quickly in place. I feel humbly grateful for the fantastic job they have done, says store owner Albin Håkansson.
Center for the whole of ListerlandAlbin Håkansson has been involved in building up the store for 29 years, from being just a small convenience store to the fact that today it is a large shopping center in Mjällby.
- I have been here since I was 19 years old. So it gets sensitive. You feel completely powerless when something like this happens.
He describes the part-time firefighters as heroes after the incident, something that the force leader Andreas Nilsson is grateful to hear when SVT Nyheter reaches him on Sunday.
- It is always fun to get appreciation for what you do. This could have been a disaster for the whole community. This is the center of the whole of Listerland, so it feels good that one's work has really given results here.
Two young people are suspected of having started the fire and the incident is classified as a serious arson.