Polish firefighter indicted over fatal altercation at Biały Dunajec station
Prosecutors in Zakopane have indicted a 37-year-old volunteer firefighter for involuntary manslaughter after an August 2024 brawl at a station in Biały Dunajec left a colleague dead.
Indictment filed in Zakopane court
The District Prosecutor's Office in Zakopane has submitted an indictment to the District Court in Zakopane against 37-year-old Władysław M. following a fatal brawl at a local fire station. Prosecutors charged the defendant with involuntary manslaughter and causing bodily injuries that resulted in health impairment lasting longer than seven days. The suspect was detained during the investigation and brought before prosecutors in Zakopane. During his questioning, Władysław M. did not admit to the alleged offenses and refused to submit explanations. Prosecutors placed him under police supervision, issued a ban on leaving the country, and imposed financial bail. The defendant has no prior criminal convictions on his record.
Gathering at the Biały Dunajec fire station
The incident took place on the evening of 1 August 2024 inside the Volunteer Fire Department building in Biały Dunajec, located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Several individuals had gathered for a social event where alcohol was consumed. During the gathering, a verbal dispute erupted between 37-year-old Władysław M. and 25-year-old volunteer firefighter Paweł Z. The argument rapidly escalated into a physical brawl. Investigators established that Władysław M. delivered multiple punches to the victim. One of the blows caused Paweł Z. to lose his footing, fall backward, and strike his head against the concrete floor of the station.
Hospitalisation and medical findings
Following the confrontation, Władysław M. walked Paweł Z. back to his residence. Shortly afterward, Paweł Z. walked back toward the fire station grounds to retrieve his mobile phone and keys that had remained at the site. Within several minutes, his mother and sister discovered him lying unconscious in nearby bushes. Paramedics transported him to the county hospital in Zakopane, from which physicians transferred him to a specialized hospital in Nowy Targ to undergo emergency surgery. Paweł Z. died in the hospital ten days later, on 11 August 2024.
A forensic post-mortem examination determined that the fatal trauma comprised intracranial injuries, specifically an acute subdural hematoma and massive cerebral edema. These trauma conditions, paired with subsequent multi-organ failure, directly caused the victim's death. The autopsy additionally revealed cut wounds to the lip, injuries to the limbs, and a broken wrist that impaired physical functioning for more than seven days.
Justyna Rataj-Mykietyn, spokesperson for the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Nowy Sącz, detailed the findings of the investigation.
Based on the analysis of surveillance footage, the victim's medical records, and expert opinions, it was established that the fatal head injuries resulted from Paweł Z. falling and striking his head against a hard surface.
Judicial proceedings
The District Prosecutor's Office in Zakopane completed its evidentiary evaluation more than two years after the altercation occurred. Investigators based the formal indictment on surveillance recordings from the station area, comprehensive medical reports, and forensic analyses.
- Brawl occurs at the Biały Dunajec fire station, causing Paweł Z. to strike his head
- Paweł Z. dies in a Nowy Targ hospital from head trauma and multi-organ failure
- Zakopane prosecutors submit the involuntary manslaughter indictment to court
The District Court in Zakopane will conduct the trial proceedings for Władysław M. under the submitted indictment.
