Madis Klassen, East Harju Rescue Board (Päästeamet) field commander, told "Aktuaalne Kaamera" that it was the highest-level emergency, a category four incident, while the top priority for firefighters was evacuating people from the building.

"In total, around 30 people were affected by the fire," Klassen said.

The fire started at the property on Männiku tee in Nõmme, in Tallinn's southern approaches, on Wednesday afternoon.

The emergency center received a report at 4:55 p.m. informing them of the blaze.

The building houses a workshop on the ground floor and a hostel with approximately 30 apartments on the second floor.

Additionally, solar panels installed on the roof complicated the firefighting efforts, though did not catch fire themselves.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed smoke and flames coming from the second-floor windows. People were seen fleeing the building in panic.

First responders equipped with breathing apparatus entered the building and found that the entire second floor was filled with smoke, while one apartment was ablaze.

On-site operations were conducted in multiple stages: First, extinguishing the burning apartment, then checking the rooms, evacuating people using ladders, and guiding them through a smoke-free stairwell.

More than 20 people were evacuated from the building, three of whom were taken to the hospital by ambulance for medical checks.

The Nõmme district government is working on finding accommodation for those left without shelter.

The cause of the fire is to be determined through further investigation.

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