What was already feared became a sad certainty on Wednesday. Human remains have probably been found in the fire ruins in St. Ilgen (municipality of Thörl) in Styria. These are probably the two residents, Rudi Lindner, the 83-year-old mountain legend, and his beloved wife Helga.
What happened on Monday evening in the farm on the Zwainerberg at the foot of the Hochschwab? This question will probably never be fully answered. It is certain that the three-storey wooden building caught fire around midnight and burned down completely, despite intensive efforts by the fire brigade to extinguish the fire.
Search days
For almost two days, fire investigators from the Styrian State Police with uniformed colleagues and dog handlers (including cadaver and fire detection dogs) dug through mountains of burnt wood, sometimes by hand and on all fours – looking for traces of the missing couple.
The couple is said to have lived in the remote area since 1974, so 50 years. They are said to have rented the old farmhouse that was on the site at the time and rebuilt it with their own hands. “At the time it looked like a bivouac,” Rudi Lindner once said.
A forced move was looming
The mountaineer and author was considered the “Hochschwab Emperor”. Lindner can claim more than 20 first ascents in the Hochschwab region. Some together with his wife Helga, his rope partner.
Drastic step out of desperation?
Now apparently the old people have to move. Locally there is talk of great tensions between them and the owner. The deportation was imminent. A civil lawsuit was pending, but Thörl’s mayor Günther Wagner declined to comment further. Apparently there was no set date for the upcoming move.
The couple may have decided to take a drastic step on Sunday out of desperation because they did not want to leave their house. “They were driven to their deaths,” locals cheered the accusations. However, no one seems to know the other side of the coin.
The smallest particles guaranteed
It is still unclear whether the seized traces (smallest particles) are actually of human origin. And then it is not yet certain whether DNA analysis is even possible. The fire was too intense and may have destroyed all traces of the genetic material.
Traces of fire must also be analyzed. However, the current photo suggests that the fire broke out in the house. The LKA researchers hope to receive results from forensic medicine next week. In the meantime, complex environmental investigations continue. Officially the couple is still missing.
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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.
