A 93-year-old man is suspected of causing a gas explosion that destroyed his house in Vienna-Floridsdorf during the night to Sunday, leaving nearby homes damaged and several people injured, according to Austrian Press Agency.
According to police, the blast completely destroyed the single-family home and caused serious damage to neighboring houses as well. Several people were hurt in the explosion, and two had to be taken to hospital. Investigators said the exact extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Emergency crews found the elderly resident in the cellar of the ruined house and rescued him with injuries. Police say he was later arrested on suspicion of intentional endangerment of the public, following an order from the public prosecutor’s office. He is now being guarded in a hospital.
The motive behind the incident has not yet been determined. Fire investigators from Vienna’s state criminal police office have started examining the scene to find out how the explosion was caused and whether it was deliberate.
The blast turned a quiet residential street into a scene of wreckage, with shattered walls, damaged homes and frightened neighbors left to face the aftermath. What began as an ordinary night in a Vienna suburb ended in destruction, injuries and a major police investigation that is still unfolding.
