Fire in Vienna-Ottakring: Man Set Fire Again in His Own Apartment

Around 5:15 a.m., officers from the Koppstraße police station were alerted that a house on Lerchenfeldergürtel was on fire, as the police reported on Sunday. The Vienna professional fire brigade had already begun extinguishing the fire at that time. No one was injured in the incident.

Several residents of the house had already left their apartments due to the heavy smoke development and were being cared for by the rescue services. When the extinguishing work was completed, the tenant, in whose apartment the fire had broken out, approached the police. He confessed on the spot to having set the fire himself. "The man said he had an inner urge to set things on fire," said the police spokeswoman to APA. The suspected perpetrator is likely suffering from a mental illness.

The 46-year-old Austrian had been convicted of arson three times in the past and had already served time in prison. The suspected perpetrator, who was found to have an alcohol level of nearly 1.5 per mille, has been temporarily arrested. He has been taken to the detention area of the Ottakring city police command.

High Damage Caused in Vienna-Ottakring

According to initial estimates by experts, the fire caused damage amounting to several tens of thousands of euros. The arson investigation team of the Vienna State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigations. The 46-year-old was charged with suspicion of arson and transferred to a correctional facility by order of the Vienna public prosecutor's office.

(APA/Red)

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