Tractor accident on Vorarlberg farm: Three-year-old dies, sister seriously injured

Course of the accident on Thursday

Höchst bei Bregenz is located in the far west of Austria, not far from Lake Constance and approximately 15 kilometers from the German border. The rural community in the federal state of Vorarlberg has only a few thousand inhabitants. Farms with their own livestock shape the appearance of several parts of the town.

Investigations into the exact course of the accident are ongoing. Officers from the Federal Police secured evidence on the tractor and in the barn aisle, and are examining visibility conditions and the route taken. The central question is how the child could have been in the barn aisle at the time of the accident and whether safety precautions were in place on the agricultural vehicle.

Federal police investigations

The Feldkirch public prosecutor's office was informed. According to the current state of affairs, this is a tragic workplace or operational accident; third-party fault is considered unlikely. According to police, no criminal investigation is currently being conducted against the farmer.

On a farm, children and heavy machinery are present at the same time every day. The Austrian social insurance for farmers and the chambers of agriculture have pointed out for years that the barn aisle, where tractors maneuver and feed is distributed, is particularly dangerous for small children. Children under six should therefore never be alone in this area.

Dangers in the barn aisle

The case has triggered dismay in the region. The Höchst Volunteer Fire Department and rescue services were deployed with several vehicles. The crisis intervention team of the Vorarlberg Red Cross was also called in to provide support for the family members. The identity of the farmer and his children was not released by the police.

An official statement from the municipality of Höchst was not initially available. The mayor and representatives of the parish offered the family pastoral support. Memorial services and support offers are being coordinated together with the family, according to people close to the farm.

Police have asked that speculation be avoided and the family's privacy be respected. Inquiries from the media to the relatives are currently not desired, according to the Federal Police. Further information is to follow once the investigations have been completed.

Farms and tractor accidents

Tractor accidents on agricultural operations are not uncommon in Austria. The statistics of the Chamber of Agriculture record dozens of sometimes serious incidents every year in which children, elderly relatives, or helpers are harmed. Special training and child-safe barriers are considered the most effective countermeasures.