The balcony railing of a residential building in Bad Gastein (Salzburg) had been removed for work. An 81-year-old resident fell from the second floor a week ago. Now that the woman has died in the hospital, the police are investigating.
An 81-year-old woman died in a hospital in Salzburg on Sunday after falling from the balcony of her second-floor apartment in Bad Gastein last week and seriously injured. Before the accident, the balcony railings of the residential building had been dismantled by a locksmith to replace them. Investigation into involuntary manslaughter could now be started.
At this time, it is still being determined for negligent bodily injury. If an autopsy ordered by the prosecutor’s office finds that the fall from the balcony was the cause of the elderly woman’s death, the investigation would be extended to negligent homicide.
Locksmith started working in advance
The building is a residential building of the non-profit Salzburg housing association GSWB. As a company spokesperson said, the company charged with the work was contractually obligated to take all safety precautions. It was pointed out in writing that fall protection had to be provided and that the work had to be registered in advance in order to coordinate the process with the property manager. However, the locksmith had started work on the balconies two weeks earlier without prior permission.
Label attached
After the accident, the police reported that in all apartments the handles of the balcony doors had been removed from the inside. However, no one could be reached in three apartments, which is why this did not happen there. Signs were then pasted on the balcony doors from the outside stating that it was forbidden to enter the balcony until the work had been completed.
According to a neighbor of the woman, no temporary fencing had been installed to protect her. The now deceased 81-year-old would have been very old and had poor hearing and vision.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
