Fire department scandal

“We’re just wondering what happened”

The cash flows at the Marchtrenk fire department are now being investigated(Bild: FF Sankt Jakob im Rosental)

"We are just amazed." - Heidi Strauss, SP member of parliament and second deputy mayor of Marchtrenk in Upper Austria, shakes her head at the interim report on the financial management of the town's fire department. The issue is the lack of receipts for the past three years. "The fire department has until October 1 to get its accounts in order, then we'll talk about the amounts. I'll have everything rigorously checked," says Strauss.

At the center is a 100,000-euro Mercedes GLC with a 700-euro luxury child seat. "The vehicle was not financed by the city, but from the fire department's coffers," says Mayor Paul Mahr (SP), who is also "just wondering" where the firefighters got so much money for a car that is not on the official procurement plan.