A firefighter killed, three others injured in the Gabian fire: a trial required against six officers including the former director of Sdis 34

Le drame a anéanti le Sdis 34, en août 2016, le ministre de l’Intérieur Bernard Cazeneuve était venu sur les lieux. Midi Libre – Mickaël ESDOURRUBAILH

FREE MIDI INFO. The indictment in the Gabian fire case (Hérault) has just been delivered. The Béziers public prosecutor's office is requesting that six firefighters be tried, including the former director of the Hérault departmental fire and rescue service, Colonel Risdorfer. A dismissal of charges is required for three other officers.

Almost eight years after the dramatic fire in Gabian (Hérault), which led to the death of firefighter Jérémy Beier, and the very serious injury by flames of three of his comrades ;misfortune, the Béziers public prosecutor's office has just delivered its indictment.

In this 115-page document, which we have obtained, he requests the referral to the judicial court of six officers, three of whom were at the top of the chain of command of the Departmental Service. ;fire and rescue (Sdis) of Hérault.

Proceedings are therefore required against the former fire boss, then director of Sdis 34, Colonel Christophe Risdorfer, for "involuntary manslaughter" and "unintentional injuries", the public prosecutor considering a deliberate violation of a particular obligation of prudence and safety and gross misconduct.

Three requests for dismissal

Identical requisitions are taken against the head of the "logistics technique" at the time, his deputy responsible for the mechanical service, a group leader of this disastrous August 10, 2016, one of his deputies and the firefighter who acted as commander of the air assets.

Three other strong links in the command benefit from a dismissal of charges (*).

On August 10, 2016, four forest fire tanker trucks (CCFF) went to a violent fire in Gabian-Roquessels, in the West Hérault region. One of the vehicles, the CCFF3, was surrounded by flames and the four occupants, suffocating while the self-protection system, allowing self-watering, did not work, had no choice but to flee and get lost in the smoke and flames.

Jérémy Beier, 24, did not survive. Lucas, 22 at the time, Didier, 28 and David, 42, were injured by burns that affected 40%, 38% and 18% of their body surface area.

In his indictment, the deputy public prosecutor summarizes it: "Ultimately, the CCFF3 presented a self-protection device that was out of order , a lack of sealing of the cabin to external gases and smoke. His radio equipment was faulty" he lists, deploring that "the obsolescence of the CCFF3 was not compensated for by real maintenance& quot;.

Added to this, according to the prosecution, were inappropriate operational decisions when the firefighters found themselves in danger, in particular for an inoperative release of water.< /p>

"Young people were sent to the fire, without basic survival equipment"

"After years of waiting, of characterized denial of the Sdis, we note the seriousness of the faults, overwhelming and on several levels. That day, we sent young people to fire, without them having basic survival equipment" denounces Me Luc Abratkiewicz, the lawyer for the civil parties.< /p>

"We feel that things are finally moving forward, that there is this first step and that we have been worthy for eight years and that we are waiting for a trial and answers on the death of Jérémy" reacts Thomas Beier, the brother of the victim, who died as a result of his injuries, the September 21, 2016. In this truck of death, the young sapper was in the driver's position when the machine stalled.

"This decision also serves as a reminder of my brother’s irresponsibility, that he be cleared by customs, because there was a moment, initially, when some put the responsibility on the driver of the CCFF. But we know the expertise, it must be said loud and clear."

"We are waiting for a trial and answers"

Lucas, one of the survivors, injured in the limbs and disfigured in Gabian, is also satisfied with this first step: "At the start, the victims were treated as responsible… We need a trial even if it won't bring Jérémy and me back, my ten fingers, I won't find them.

This stage of the indictment must now be followed by that of the order of the investigating judge in charge of the case who, he alone, must decide on the referral to court or dismissal of the protagonists of the case. the affair.

(*) Christophe Durand, deputy director of Sdis 34, Gilbert Arnal, head of the risk management group and François Descamp, head of the training department.

An administrative sanction imposed in the amount of €877,358

In his indictment, the Béziers prosecutor did not accept responsibility for the crime. criminal prosecution of the entity Sdis 34 (departmental fire and rescue service) which was not implemented. indicted in the case.

But a mistake was made. established by the administrative court of Montpellier. In a judgment rendered on June 7, the court, following the conclusions of the public rapporteur, condemned the Sdis de l’Hérault à pay 877 358 € in compensation for the serious damage suffered by the three survivors of the fire and the family of J&rémy Beier, the victim.

The court ruled culpable failings in the organization of the Sdis service cited by the Beziers public prosecutor's office: the dilapidated state of and the poor maintenance of the forest tanker in which the victims were located, which also did not have a breathable air system or even errors in the chain. command during water drops.

Le Sdis, which contests this responsibility, considering that it is only based on a report subject to caution, reflects carefully appeal, the deadline being two months.

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