As if by a miracle

Car pierced by railing – Styrian woman survived

The car and the bridge railing were flung into the bed of the stream.(Bild: FF Preding)

A Styrian woman (33) miraculously survived a violent accident on Easter Sunday in Hengsberg: she left the road and crashed into a bridge railing, which pierced through her car. The car overturned and burst into flames. A neighbor turned out to be the hero of the story.

The 33-year-old Styrian woman was on her way to Preding when the dramatic accident happened on the L601 in the municipality of Hengsberg. Right by the "Bacherlwirt" inn, the driver left the road on the right - according to her own statements, she was under the influence of alcohol and fell into a microsleep. She crashed head-on into the bridge railing, which was torn from its anchoring and drilled through the car. But that was not all: the vehicle and railing were thrown under the bridge into the stream.

A local resident as an Easter hero
The Easter miracle in the story came about thanks to a neighbor. He heard the loud bang and immediately rushed to help. Smoke was already rising from the engine compartment, but he was not afraid and pulled the woman out of the car. A few seconds later, the car burst into flames.

The woman survived the fall and was rescued from the flames.(Bild: FF Preding)

Serious, but not life-threatening injuries
He brought the driver to safety and discovered that she had suffered serious injuries to her upper body and head. A first responder from Predingen rushed to the scene and treated the woman. She was responsive and her injuries were miraculously not life-threatening. A short time later, the emergency doctor arrived and she was taken to Wagna Regional Hospital.

The Preding volunteer fire department then extinguished the burning car, while the Schönberg volunteer fire department set up an oil barrier in the stream. The L601 was closed to all traffic after the accident. A total of almost 40 emergency crews were on site. All the helpers are now hoping that the 33-year-old will get better soon - it was a real Easter miracle that she survived.