Man arrested after fires and property damage in Graz

A 30-year-old man suspected of setting several fires and damaging property was arrested in Graz overnight on Wednesday, ORF reported. He is also suspected of misusing emergency signals.

On Wednesday evening, several rubbish bins caught fire in an apartment building in central Graz. Fire alarms in an underground garage were also deliberately smashed. The professional fire brigade extinguished the fires, which caused damage to the buildings.

Video footage placed the man near the scenes. During an initial interview, he admitted to the offences. He was intoxicated and in poor health and was taken to hospital. The man, who is from Lower Austria and has been involved with a volunteer fire brigade since childhood, said he was fascinated by fire. He later refused to answer questions.

Investigators found that he had been released from prison in late July after serving time for similar offences. On the prosecutor’s order, he is to be transferred to Graz-Jakomini prison.