Neighbor After the Explosion

“Walter said, ‘I’ve lost my nerve.’”

Walter S. and the ruins of the house where he had lived(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Jöchl, Zwefo, Krone KREATIV)

After blowing up his house, 93-year-old Viennese resident Walter S. is in an induced coma. He was scheduled to appear in district court on Wednesday. “That really broke him,” says a neighbor to whom the elderly man had confided just hours before the incident.

Cleanup efforts are in full swing following the devastating gas explosion early Sunday morning in Vienna’s Floridsdorf district. As reported, a 93-year-old Viennese man blew up his house because he didn’t want to go to a nursing home. Several buildings were damaged in the blast, and eight people suffered minor injuries.

While Walter S. lies in a medically induced comain the intensive care unit, the question of “why” remains. The shocked residents of the idyllic single-family home neighborhood on the outskirts of Vienna agree: Walter was a nice person, always friendly.

The former department head of an installation company had gradually expanded the 1930s-era house until it was eventually handed over to his stepson, with Walter retaining a lifetime right of residence. “They gave the boy two million schillings (145,344 euros) as compensation for lost rent,” says a neighbor to whom the retiree often poured out his heart.

The neighbor searches his cell phone for photos of them together, unable to believe what has happened.(Bild: Zwefo)

Faced off against his stepson in district court
Everyone knew: Walter S. and his stepson didn’t get along. On Wednesday, they were set to face each other in district court. Among other things, the retiree is alleged to have forged his stepson’s signature in connection with a carport. In addition to the alleged forgery, the case also involved a building log—for which he would have had until 2030 to comply—as well as the locking of the garden gate.

He had put all his money into the house. The upcoming court date had him in a panic.

Ein Nachbar

“He’s never been to court before”
“At 93 years old,he’s never been to court before. That really got to him,”says the neighbor. “We often invited him over for special occasions like Christmas or New Year’s Eve,” his wife adds. That’s because his beloved wife passed away just under ten years ago. Since then, Mr. S. had been living alone in the big house.

The spry senior was a perfect homemaker; he even mowed the lawn. Even his family doctor was amazed by his health. His car was his pride and joy; he liked to drive to a nearby furniture store at lunchtime for an inexpensive meal. 

On Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Walter S. spoke on the phone for the last time with his neighbor, who was away on a short vacation, and said, “I’ve had enough.” His neighbor replied, “We can talk about everything on Monday. Don’t get upset—everything will be fine!” But nothing turned out fine...