An 80-year-old woman died in a house fire in Szentendre, near Budapest, after her 51-year-old son allegedly attacked his parents. His father escaped, while firefighters later discovered the woman’s body in the badly damaged property.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder with particular cruelty after a fatal house fire in Szentendre on Sunday afternoon, 11 October. Police say the 51-year-old allegedly attacked his 82-year-old father with a knife before fleeing from officers. Firefighters subsequently discovered the body of a woman inside the burning family home.
According to Hungarian news outlet Blikk, the suspect, identified as András B., had a history of mental health problems. The authorities have not released further details about the circumstances of the woman’s death, citing the ongoing investigation.
Father escaped knife attack before son fled
Police were alerted on Sunday after an 82-year-old Szentendre resident reported that his 51-year-old son had attacked him with a knife. Officers arriving at the scene attempted to take the suspect into custody, but he fled. He was caught a short time later and taken into police custody.
The Pest County Police Headquarters confirmed that proceedings had been launched on suspicion of murder with particular cruelty. Investigators have declined to disclose further details while the case remains under investigation.
Blikk reported that the father, described as a respected professor, managed to escape the attack. He returned to the family property on Monday but was reportedly too distressed to speak to the newspaper.
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Fire destroyed much of the family home
The incident also involved a serious fire at the family’s house on Cseresznyés Road in Szentendre. According to Attila Csámpai, spokesperson for the Pest County Disaster Management Directorate, the flames broke out on the ground floor of the approximately 80-square-metre building before spreading rapidly to the upper floor and roof.
By the time firefighters arrived, much of the property was already ablaze. Emergency crews brought the fire under control by early evening and searched the building, where they discovered a woman’s body.
Police said the woman had suffered fatal burns. Her exact cause of death is being examined with the involvement of experts.
Although much of the house was destroyed, firefighters managed to prevent the flames from spreading to neighbouring properties.
Szentendre’s official Facebook page reported the incident on Sunday, describing it as a suspected deliberate arson attack. The local authority confirmed that one person had died and that police had detained the suspected perpetrator.
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Neighbours describe a night of fear
The tragedy shocked residents of the otherwise quiet street. One neighbour told Blikk that they knew the family well and were deeply saddened by what had happened. They also described fearing that the fire might spread to their own home.
The neighbour said the wind was blowing in the opposite direction and firefighters worked quickly, helping to prevent the blaze from reaching nearby buildings. The family living next door reportedly spent the night without sleep because of the incident.
Blikk also reported that the suspect had previously displayed disturbing behaviour and that neighbours had complained about him. According to the newspaper, he had allegedly threatened another local resident with a knife on an earlier occasion.
Another local resident told Blikk that, after his arrest, the man appeared confused and shouted about Satan while waiting in a police car. These accounts have not been independently confirmed by the authorities.
Featured image: illustration, depositphotos.com