Result of the autopsy

70-year-old burnt to death in bed after heart attack

The drama surrounding a 70-year-old senior citizen took place behind these walls in Pfarrkirchen im Mühlkreis.(Bild: Barbara Kneidinger)

Last Friday, a 70-year-old man was found dead in his bed in Pfarrkirchen im Mühlkreis (Upper Austria) by the local mayor. The senior citizen's body showed severe burns. An autopsy has now clarified the tragic death.

Exactly one week ago, Hermann Gierlinger, mayor of Pfarrkirchen im Mühlkreis, was distributing "meals on wheels" in his community, as he did every Friday and Sunday. Everything was going normally until he wanted to bring lunch to 70-year-old Josef M. in the small village of Altenhof. From the outside, everything seemed normal, but inside - the door was unlocked as usual - he was immediately hit by cold smoke.

The day before, he had been sitting in his armchair as normal. It's madness, you couldn't see anything from the outside.

Ortschef Hermann Gierlinger

Single and in need of care
"I didn't even realize it at first," said the head of the village in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper. The senior citizen, who was single and in need of care, was found by the mayor lying in his bed with severe burns: "It wasn't a pretty sight, I almost didn't recognize him." An autopsy was ordered by the Linz public prosecutor's office.

No evidence of external negligence
"There are no indications of any outside culpability," explains spokeswoman Ulrike Breiteneder. Nevertheless, Josef M.'s last moments must have been very dramatic. After a medical emergency - presumably a heart attack - the man is said to have been incapacitated and burnt to death in his bed. A cigarette had started the fire.