Vienna-Ottakring: Pyromaniag ignites again in your own apartment!

Vienna-Ottakring: Pyromaniag ignites again in your own apartment!

On the night of June 15, 2025, an official known as a pyromaniac in his apartment in Vienna-Ottakring again sparked a fire. The police were alerted at 5:15 a.m. when residents perceived smoke smell in the multi -party house on the Lerchenfeld belt and chose the emergency call. The Vienna professional fire brigade was quickly on hand and was able to start the extinguishing work before the situation continued to come.

Although fortunately there were no injuries, several residents were forced to leave their apartments due to the strong smoke development. These were supervised by the rescue, while the alleged perpetrator, a 46-year-old Austrian, confessed on site. The man acquainted that he had an inner urge to light things, which indicates a possible mental illness. He had already been convicted three times for arson and had served a prison sentence in the past. When he was arrested, alcoholization of almost 1.5 per thousand was found.

earlier offenses and mental illness

This is not the first incident of this kind for the 46-year-old. Already on October 14, 2022, he had fire in a basement of a house on Thaliastrasse, which resulted in a large -scale operation by the professional fire brigade. In this incident, 15 residents had to be evacuated and several people were taken to the hospital with suspected flue gas poisoning. In January 2023, he lit a Christmas tree in a church, which led to his arrest when he came out of the church in underpants and claimed that he was "a Jesus" while he danced around the officials. These repeated fire series throw a light on its complex mental profile, which, as reported, is shaped by paranoid schizophrenia.

Psychiatric experts came to the conclusion that he was not acceptable at the time of his deeds. The danger that he emanates is therefore to be classified as high. Psychiatric care and accommodation in a forensic-therapeutic center were arranged, but the man shows no insight into his behavior and expresses distrust of specialists.

The role of mental health

These incidents raise fundamental questions regarding the prevention of mental illnesses. Experts, including Prof. Dr. med. Arno Deister, emphasize the need for preventive measures for early detection and treatment of mental disorders. Symptoms often occur up to five years before first contact, with social inequality being identified as one of the risk factors. Psychotic disorders, which include schizophrenia, often manifest themselves in the first four years of life, but often remain undetected. Early interventions could be crucial to avoid such dangerous behaviors and to improve the quality of life of those affected. The question remains how efficient the existing systems work in the early detection of mental illnesses.

The property damage caused by the current fire is estimated at several 10,000 euros. The fire group of the Vienna State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation. The man, who is considered mentally ill was temporarily arrested and transferred to a prison, where he has to face the new indictment for arson. His case illustrates the continuous challenge of adequately treating mental illnesses and protecting society from the dangers of such diseases.