Fire at the Stern restaurant

After New Year’s Eve drama: officials under scrutiny

There are still no charges following the deadly inferno in the Stern bar in Graz. Although the charge of deliberately "causing a conflagration" has been dropped, at least four employees of the Graz building and facilities authority and the fire police are currently under judicial scrutiny.

The legal investigation into the deadly inferno in the Stern Bar in Graz is still a long time coming. Although the public prosecutor's office in Graz has completed its investigation, its report on the case has been with the higher authorities for a month and a half. They will decide whether or not to press charges against the operator of the bar.

This week, the restaurateur's lawyer was given the latest status of the investigation. "We are currently investigating negligent causation of a conflagration", confirmed Seiersberg lawyer Manfred Schiffner to the "Steirerkrone". This means that deliberately starting the fire is off the table - it is suspected that a dried-out Christmas tree in the entrance area caught fire in an explosive manner due to improper handling of a star splash or table fireworks.

"An expert in the field of fire safety has been appointed to investigate the suspicion of misuse of authority."

Manfred Schiffner

Anwalt des Lokalbetreibers

Bild: Sissi Furgler Fotografie

At least four employees of the Graz building and facilities authority and the fire police are also being targeted by the judiciary. "An expert in the field of fire protection has been appointed to investigate the suspicion of abuse of office," explains Schiffner. The question is whether the trade department took the easy way out and failed to carry out the necessary inspections of escape routes and fire protection equipment.

Incidentally, the Stern could reopen at any time, as the burnt-out premises have been completely renovated. However, it is uncertain whether the insurance company will pay for the damage - whether the well-known bar will reopen depends on this.