Wanted to bring food

Mayor found 70-year-old dead in his bed

From the outside, it was impossible to imagine the tragedy that had taken place behind the walls.

(Bild: Kneidinger Barbara)

The 70-year-old Josef M., who lived alone and was in need of care, was lying lifeless in his bed with severe burns when Hermann Gierlinger, mayor of Pfarrkirchen im Mühlkreis (Upper Austria), wanted to bring him "meals on wheels" on Friday. The victim was severely injured and an autopsy was ordered.

Hermann Gierlinger, mayor of Pfarrkirchen im Mühlkreis and specialist care worker, always delivers "Meals on Wheels" in his community on Fridays and Sundays. This Friday, he made a terrible discovery. 70-year-old Josef M. was lying dead in his bed with severe burns.

"I immediately smelled the cold smoke and everything was black in the room, but I didn't realize it at first. You couldn't see anything at all from the outside," says Gierlinger in a shaky voice: "It wasn't a pretty sight at all, I almost didn't recognize him."

Cigarette started the fire
According to the current state of the investigation, a cigarette may have been the cause of the fire. An autopsy of the body has been ordered and should clarify whether Sepp - as everyone called him - died in the fire or whether the fire started after a natural death. "I spoke to the colleague who brought him food on Thursday and he was still sitting normally in his chair," said the mayor. The single senior citizen in need of care had lived in the small community in the Upper Mühlviertel for decades.

It's amazing, I didn't even realize it at first. The pictures came back to me during the night.

Hermann Gierlinger, Bürgermeister Pfarrkirchen im Mühlkreis

Niece took care of senior citizen
"In December, he was in hospital because of a fractured femur, and since then we have provided him with 'meals on wheels'. Colleagues from the Arcus social network have looked after him. A niece always looked after him lovingly," remembers Gierlinger, who is struggling to come to terms with the tragedy: "The terrible images came back to me in the night."