Investigation underway

Alcohol-related accident: occupants burned helplessly in car

The burned-out car. There was no chance of rescue for the occupants.(Bild: FF Lang)

A horrific accident occurred early Saturday morning on the Pyhrn Expressway near Lebring (Styria). A drunk driver (38), who was also speeding, crashed into a car from Hungary. The car was completely destroyed by fire, and two people died.

Heavily intoxicated, a 38-year-old man from the Leibnitz district got behind the wheel of his car on Saturday night and, according to police, sped down the Pyhrn Expressway. While passing another vehicle, he collided with a Hungarian car carrying two people. The impact caused the Hungarian car to burst into flames—and it burned completely to the ground; the two occupants were unable to escape the flames and burned to death helplessly.

Autopsy ordered
The 38-year-old sustained only minor injuries. The A9 had to be temporarily closed to all traffic for cleanup and recovery efforts. According to police spokesperson Markus Lamb, the police investigation and forensic analysis are still ongoing.

The burned-out car. There was no chance of rescue for the occupants.(Bild: FF Lang)

The Graz District Attorney’s Office has ordered autopsies of the bodies, which are intended, among other things, to establish the identities of the two victims. An expert has also been commissioned to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the accident.

You’re jolted awake and drive there with the intention of helping. But then you see that there’s nothing you can do and wonder if you could have gotten there faster.

Gottfried Rosenzopf, Kommandant FF Lang

A difficult operation for the fire departments as well
Gottfried Rosenzopf, commander of the Lebring Volunteer Fire Department, arrived on the scene quickly with his crew: “The initial report stated that a person was inside a burning car. When we arrived, the completely mangled small car was engulfed in flames. After extinguishing the fire, it turned out that a second person had been in the car.”

A horrific sight for the emergency responders on the scene, one that even gives the experienced commander Rosenzopf pause: “You really wouldn’t want to put anyone through something like that. Especially not our younger crew members. You’re yanked out of bed and drive there with the intention of helping. And then you see that nothing can be done, and you wonder if you could have gotten there faster.” 

Intensive debriefing with the team is now on the agenda, according to Rosenzopf: “We started right after returning to the station, and we’ll continue around noon today.” Another point he wants to emphasize: “During this difficult operation, the cooperation with the other emergency services—such as the Red Cross, the police, and the Lebring Fire Department—really worked flawlessly. Thank you for that!”