Car roof crushed

Styrian couple killed by tree in storm

Symbolic image

(Bild: P. Huber)

The violent storm claimed two lives in eastern Styria on Easter Monday: An elderly couple was struck by a falling tree while driving in their car.

The tragedy occurred on the L404 near Ilz in the Hartberg-Fürstenfeld district. All help came too late for the 80-year-old man and his 84-year-old wife, who died at the scene of the accident. Their relatives are being looked after by the crisis intervention team.

Wreck thrown into the forest
The local couple were driving along Ilzerstraße from Großhartmannsdorf towards Ilz at around 2 p.m. when an ash tree fell over next to the road and landed on the car. The roof was crushed in the process. The wreck finally came to rest in a wooded area. An emergency doctor was only able to determine the death of the two occupants.

Second fatal accident in the region just 15 minutes later
Another fatal traffic accident occurred just 15 minutes later on the L442 in Breitenfeld an der Rittschein, only around ten kilometers from the first accident site. There, a 59-year-old man left the road for unknown reasons and crashed into a tree. He was trapped in the vehicle. Rescue attempts came too late and he also succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the accident.