Five suspects – After Inferno: Graz Stern-Bar reopens

One dead and 27 people, some seriously injured: this is the balance of the fire hell on New Year’s Eve in the cult restaurant Stern in Graz. Even if many victims’ physical wounds have healed, the emotional wounds may never go away. Also with the manager of the bar in the city center, who was not in the bar the night of his death – and was only woken up by the police in the morning. “My client has been severely affected and no longer sleeps a night,” reports Seiersberg lawyer Manfred Schiffner, who represents the man from Graz.

“Escape plans adjusted accordingly”
Yet the restaurateur wants to reopen his completely destroyed restaurant as soon as possible. “I have already submitted a representation to the trade authority and the escape plans have been adjusted accordingly.” The operator – the damage amounts to over half a million euros – had fire insurance and negotiations with the insurance company are ongoing.

For Manfred Schiffner, the accusation that the fire could not have been adequately fought because the fire extinguisher had expired has been rejected: “According to one report, the fire could no longer be extinguished from the inside after it broke out – only by the fire department.”

Investigations are underway
Meanwhile, the public prosecutor’s investigations are reaching their final stages, as spokesperson Hansjörg Bacher confirms: “We are investigating a total of five people: the local operator and four officials of the Graz magistrate. The trial could take place this year.”