Shock in Vienna

Charred body discovered in burning hut

A garden shed in the courtyard of a vacant building was fully engulfed in flames when officials and the fire department arrived on Monday.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

A gruesome discovery during firefighting operations on Monday evening in Vienna-Hietzing: firefighters discovered a charred body in a small garden shed in Lainz.

The operation took place at around 9 pm in Lainzer Straße. A passer-by had noticed the fire in the house opposite and alerted the police. When the uniformed forces arrived, the small garden shed, which was located in the courtyard of a vacant building, was already fully engulfed in flames. Due to the enormous heat, the roof of the neighboring building had also already caught fire.

Horrible discovery
The firefighting work began immediately and the helpers made a shocking discovery. They found the remains of a person burnt beyond recognition.

There were no other casualties, according to the Vienna Fire Department. Twenty-seven firefighters with six vehicles were deployed.

Autopsy suggested, investigation underway
Investigations are now underway into the identity of the fire victim. An autopsy has been suggested by the police. It also needs to be clarified how the fire started. It is therefore conceivable that a homeless person wanted to spend the night there and started a fire. However, the fire investigators are still investigating the exact cause, as was reported on Tuesday. Fire investigators from the Vienna State Office of Criminal Investigation have taken over the investigation.