Viktor Saaremets, deputy director general of the Rescue Board, and Taavi Kirss, an official of the Police and Border Guard Board, said that the holidays were very busy for rescuers. Most of the problems were related to smoking and alcohol. The police responded to 159 domestic violence cases.
Saaremets said that during the holidays, rescuers had 164 callouts. This is more than last year. There were 21 building fires. One person died. 17 people were evacuated and several were injured. The more severe fires were in Ida-Viru and Lääne-Viru counties.
On December 24, there was a fire in Kohtla-Järve. Rescuers saved a woman from a smoke-filled apartment, who was injured. The fire likely started due to careless smoking. There was no smoke detector in the apartment.
On the same day, there was a fire in Tamsalu. Rescuers saved one person from a smoke-filled staircase. They died on the way to the hospital. Three people were injured by the smoke.
Saaremets emphasized that smoking and alcohol cause accidents during the holidays. Fire or cigarette butts are left unattended. He advised smoking outdoors and extinguishing fire with water. He also reminded that safety instructions should be followed when using pyrotechnics.
On December 25, rescuers had work due to strong winds. They removed trees from roads 27 times and assisted in traffic accidents 12 times. Saaremets said that the number of fires has been significant recently.
Kirss said that the police holidays can be described with the keywords "alcohol consumption". The police responded to 159 domestic violence cases. In 70 cases, children were witnesses. The police imposed 13 restraining orders.
Kirss said that alcohol causes old conflicts and problems. Violence increases due to alcohol. The police conducted 16,252 sobriety checks and found 37 drunk drivers. Seven people were injured in traffic accidents. One driver in Võru veered off the road and was injured.
Kirss also talked about the incident on Manija Island. There, a man set fire to an outbuilding and threatened a family with a weapon. The police reacted quickly and detained the man. A firearm was found. The outbuilding burned down. The man is now facing criminal proceedings.
The police have increased the number of patrols due to the bomb explosion at Ülemiste Center. Currently, there are 87 more patrols on the streets. The police are checking public places such as bus stations, ports, and airports. They have conducted 593 checks.