Was it attempted murder?

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On Saturday night, a homeless man was set alight on Lendplatz in Graz and critically injured.

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

As reported, a homeless man was set on fire in Graz on Saturday night. The 56-year-old Hungarian man's life is still in danger. The arrested suspect, also homeless, speaks of an accident. The public prosecutor's office is still investigating the attempted murder and will apply for a remand in custody.

This tragic case is causing deep consternation throughout Graz: as reported, a sleeping homeless man was set alight on Lendplatz in Graz on Saturday night and is now in Graz Regional Hospital with severe burns.

Stable but critical condition
The 52-year-old Hungarian is still in mortal danger and cannot be interviewed. 20 to 25 percent of his skin is affected by third-degree burns, says a hospital spokeswoman. His condition is stable but critical, he is in intensive care and will probably need another operation in the next few days.

Arson attack or accident?
Investigators now need to clarify whether it was actually an arson attack or possibly just an accident caused by negligence. The suspect arrested on Saturday, another homeless Russian (65), claims that he did not notice the man and only wanted to light a fire to keep warm. 

Contrary to initial assumptions, no accelerant was found at the scene of the crime. Nevertheless, the public prosecutor's office is continuing the proceedings as attempted murder for the time being. "In any case, we will submit the applications for pre-trial detention", says Christian Kroschl, spokesman for the Graz public prosecutor's office.