After the drama surrounding Caroline

“This ruin won’t be standing next year”

The former cement factory will probably be rebuilt in 2026.

(Bild: Imre Antal)

The old cement plant where the tragedy surrounding Caroline (15) took place was due to be rebuilt. But the rezoning necessary for the start of construction is taking time. Meanwhile, the fatal fall could have legal repercussions.

"It's an extremely unnecessary death!" Kaltenleutgeben's mayor Bernadette Geieregger is still deeply shocked days after the drama, which may now even have legal repercussions. She knows the old cement factory where 15-year-old Caroline fell to her death very well. "We were inside three years ago with the local council. Even then, there were holes in the floors everywhere. It was very dangerous even in daylight," she recalls.

The delegation had checked the substance of the concrete building. The business, which was shut down in the 1990s, was actually supposed to be revitalized and space created for business and around 20 residential units.

The building was always a popular meeting place for young people. However, it used to be very dangerous in there.

Bürgermeisterin Bernadette Geieregger

Bild: Parlamentsdirektion/Thomas Topf

Concepts and a lizard
The plans were presented by the new owner in 2022. However, the rezoning of the site as a "core building land area" is progressing slowly. The authorities demanded elaborate concepts from the municipality, and a protected species of lizard was also found on the site. "It all took longer than planned. It's a long-term, cost-intensive process," says Geieregger. They are now on the home straight: "The death is therefore super significant because the ruins will no longer be standing in this form next year!"

"You don't climb into other people's buildings"
The old factory had been a popular meeting place for young people since its closure. "It used to be easy to get in. But since the change of ownership, it has been completely locked up," says Geieregger. The fact that people are now looking for culprits on Facebook and the like bothers the politician: "That doesn't help anyone. It's better to invest time in clearing things up. You don't climb into other people's buildings."

War es fahrlässige Tötung?

Schuldfrage nach dem Todesdrama

The legal spiral in the case of 15-year-old Caroline's death is likely to start turning soon. As reported, the schoolgirl from Vienna-Penzing fell several storeys to the ground last week during a night-time excursion - she was visiting the former cement factory with friends. Investigators are now also focusing on the complicity of the landowner, with the major issue of a ladder in particular needing to be clarified.

It's all about the ladder
According to witnesses, there should have been a fixed ladder to the higher floors. During the "Krone" site inspection, however, suddenly nobody knew there was a ladder, and the young people had climbed up using loose "cables", according to a worker.

Should there be any legal repercussions, the question of liability will arise sooner or later. In addition to the consequences under criminal law, there will be compensation for grief and other damages - regardless of whether it was pure recklessness or not!