Autopsy result

Man died after Krampus run: cause determined

Family, friends and acquaintances set a sign for Christian with candles and flowers

(Bild: Christian Krall)

The Metnitztal man (24) who lay down to sleep in his car on Sunday after a Krampus run in Althofen (Carinthia) died of carbon monoxide poisoning. This has now been confirmed by the autopsy.

The 24-year-old young farmer, who was due to take over his parents' farm in St. Salvator (St. Veit district), visited the traditional Krampus run in Althofen with friends on Sunday. He parked his car in the parking lot of a nearby supermarket. 

After the parade, the party continued in the Krampus disco. Christian N. was considered to be sensible - and so he decided not to drive and to spend the night in his car.

Parking heater as a source of danger
In order not to freeze in the vehicle, with outside temperatures around zero degrees, he started his parking heater - which he had ordered on the Internet days before and installed in his car himself on Saturday. The 24-year-old put the backrest back and wrapped himself in a blanket - unaware that he would not wake up again.

Exhaust fumes spread throughout the interior
Five days after the accident, the cause of death has been established. As the investigators had already feared, the young farmer died of carbon monoxide poisoning. This has now been confirmed by the autopsy. As the parking heater was operated with fuel, it can be assumed "that the exhaust fumes were not properly discharged and therefore spread throughout the vehicle", according to the investigators. The car and the parking heater were seized for investigation purposes.