Five firefighters from Hérault, including the former number 1, are referred to the criminal court for “involuntary manslaughter” after the death of a firefighter in the Gabian fire in Hérault, eight years ago, France Bleu Hérault learned on Friday from the lawyer of the victim’s mother, Me Luc Abratkiewicz.
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On the afternoon of August 10, 2016, four firefighters found themselves trapped in their truck in the middle of a gigantic fire. The fire started from a cigarette butt thrown into a ditch, along RD 13 in Gabian and the wind was blowing at 15-20 km/h.
READ ALSO – “The truth must come out”: the Gabian fire case before the administrative court
The firefighters should have been protected by the cab of the tanker. Taking refuge inside, she should have blocked the flames using protection systems, such as water sent all around the vehicle to form a sort of bubble, while waiting for the front of the flames to pass. The cabin also had to be smoke-tight to preserve breathable air. But neither system worked. The radio was also out of service.
The four firefighters preferred to escape. Three of them were seriously burned. The fourth, Jérémy Beier, 24, succumbed to his injuries a month and a half later. “If they had stayed in the truck, they would have died”asserts Luc Abratkiewicz, the lawyer for the victims and their families. However, the problems had been reported several times through notes written in a notebook. There were at least seven reports during the summer of 2016, the last of which, only four days before the tragedy, recalls France Bleu Hérault.
The hierarchy was therefore aware of the dysfunctions, according to the conclusions of the investigation. However, the vehicle, which had not been up to standard for several years, was sent to the front. The hierarchy is also accused of not having given the order to evacuate the dangerous zone in time or even of not having responded to requests for air drops.
The investigation is now closed. The five defendants are notably being prosecuted for “manslaughter”. The trial date has not yet been set.
In June 2024, the Montpellier administrative court sentenced the Hérault Fire and Rescue Service to more than 877,000 euros in damages. The State’s compensation had been justified by the court because “the service accident is attributable to errors in the organization of the SDIS service.”
