Two fires in Vienna: shopping carts and garbage cans set on fire!

Two fires in Vienna: shopping carts and garbage cans set on fire!

In the past few days, two arson incidents in Vienna-Ottakring and Hernals caused great excitement. On Friday evening, November 28, 2025, a 43-year-old woman discovered a burning shopping cart in the stairwell of a residential complex on Hasnerstrasse. Eyewitnesses reported that the lady reacted quickly and asked passers-by for help. They immediately helped with water and a carpet so that the fire could be extinguished before the fire department arrived. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the property damage was not without consequences for the residents. The press reports that the cause of the fire is still unknown and that the police in particular point to deliberate arson, as a paper waste bin in Kalvarienberggasse was set on fire just 46 minutes later.

This incident occurred in an apartment building and led to rapid intervention by the Vienna fire department, which was also able to quickly extinguish the fire. Here, too, there was luck in misfortune because there was no danger to anyone, but here too there was damage to property. The fire team of the Vienna State Criminal Police Office is now responsible for leading the investigations in both cases. Based on the findings so far, it is not yet possible to determine whether there is a connection between the two incidents. 5minute informed that the police crime statistics are also used for the strategic analysis of such incidents.

The consequences for the neighborhood

The night fires caused uncertainty in the neighborhood. Many residents are wondering whether more arsons could follow. Police crime statistics (PKS) play an important role in evaluating such trends and developing criminal police measures. These statistics are continuously adjusted and document all reported crimes in Austria since 2001. This is a central basis for combating crime. This also means that the statistics do not only record the cases that are actually reported. Federal Criminal Police Office emphasizes that many factors can influence the figures, including the reporting behavior of the population and the intensity of police controls.

While the investigation is ongoing, it remains to be seen what police will discover regarding the two fires. Until then, the residents of Vienna-Ottakring and Hernals are called upon to be careful and, if in doubt, to alert the emergency services immediately. Neighborhood safety should always come first.