“Technical defect” – artistic heritage destroyed by major fire

As the police have now announced after intensive investigation by detectives at the scene of the fire, a technical defect in the rented disco caused the fire inferno. Even a day after the devastating fire in the former Lebek Hallen (we reported), there is still disbelief in Wolfsberg. Not only because of the loss of countless commercial spaces, but also because of the legacy of the artist Karl Schüßler, who died in 2010.

“Almost all of my father-in-law’s work was stored there,” says a shocked Michael Schüßler, who rushed to the warehouses with his wife immediately after the fire disaster. “We do not yet know the exact extent of the destruction, but we fear the worst.”

The fire extinguishing water flowed from the ceiling in streams
The couple were able to briefly enter the building on Friday, but were unable to save any works of art. “The firefighting water flowed from the ceiling in streams. The water was probably 20 centimeters high in the room,” says Schüßler in an interview with “Krone”. But the firefighters had no other chance. And that is why the couple assumes a total loss of their artistic heritage. After all, a large number of watercolors were stored in the rooms, which could have been completely destroyed by the massive influx of water.

Exhibition of rescued works
Only in the coming days will the couple be able to get a precise picture of the damage. Although there probably isn’t much left to salvage from Karl Schüßler’s legacy, his descendants are planning something special with what they saved. “No matter how many works are preserved, we will probably have our own exhibition with them. At least this great painter will not die a second time!”