Drama in Styria

Three dead in head-on collision in Pöllau

For all those involved in the accident, all help came too late.(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Pöllau)

In a serious accident on Sunday evening in Pöllau (Styria), all three people involved were rescued too late. The force of the collision caused both vehicles to be thrown several meters off the road. A 17-year-old and a married couple died at the scene of the accident. 

A tragic traffic accident occurred on the Schloffereckstraße (L406) between Köppelreith and Pöllau at around 8.15 p.m. on Sunday. For reasons as yet unexplained, two oncoming cars collided head-on. Both vehicles were thrown into an adjacent field by the force of the collision. Following drivers immediately called the emergency services. 

All help came too late for everyone involved in the accident.(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Pöllau)

The Pöllau fire department, the ambulance service, an emergency doctor and a rescue helicopter were involved in the head-on crash.(Bild: Feuerwehr Pöllau)

(Bild: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Pöllau)

Deceased at the scene of the accident
45 members of the Pöllau fire department, 13 members of the ambulance service, an emergency doctor and the C17 rescue helicopter quickly arrived at the scene of the accident. However, all help came too late for the three people involved in the accident, a couple from Wenigzell (61, 59) from the Hartberg-Fürstenfeld district and a teenager (17) from the Weiz district.

There have already been 11 road fatalities in Styria this year.(Bild: Krone KREATIV, stock.adobe.com)

The couple was trapped in their completely demolished car. They were cut free by the emergency services, but their injuries were too serious. Despite his serious injuries, the 17-year-old driver may have climbed out of the wreck himself, but resuscitation attempts were also in vain. The relatives are being looked after by a crisis intervention team.

Candles have been placed at the scene of the accident in memory of the deceased.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Cause may remain unclear
According to the investigating officers, it is still completely unclear how the collision occurred. There were apparently no indications that either of the drivers was under the influence of alcohol. Photogrammetry, which documented all the evidence available at the scene, did not reveal any new findings either. 

"It is very likely that this big unknown remains. We don't really expect any new findings. After all, there are no witnesses. What remains, however, is the awareness that three people lost their lives," says control inspector Heimo Kohlbacher. The public prosecutor's office in Graz released the bodies for burial.