The Alma Cersus cooperative cellar, from Cers and Portiragnes, fined €50,000

Le président de la cave relaxé. La cave condamnée à 50000 € d'amende. DR – Midi Libre

Éric Anton, la victime, est décédé des suites d’un accident de travail à Portiragnes en 2017. Le président de la cave et la cave étaient poursuivis pour un homicide involonttaire

This Monday, January 8, the Béziers court delivered its deliberations in the context of the case of manslaughter, dated August 9, 2017, which took place in the premises of the Portiragnes cellar belonging to Alma Cersius.

The president, Robert Marc, was acquitted of the prosecution. The cellar was, for its part, fined 50,000 € fine, including 20,000 € suspended. The proceedings before the civil court have been set for March 11 to decide the amount of compensation allocated to the family of the victim, Éric Anton.

He uses an unauthorized freight elevator

On August 9, 2017, the victim climbed onto a freight elevator, even though she was not allowed to do so, in the premises of the Portiragnaise annex of the Alma cooperative cellar. Cersius.
The freight elevator, for an undetermined reason, had given way and fallen several meters high. Éric Anton died from his injuries.

It will emerge from the investigation that all measures had not been taken to ensure that no one could climb on this device which had not been serviced since its installation, in the 80s. It was supposed to never carry anyone, but a remote control had been installed on it to operate it from the inside. The device was dismantled after the tragedy.

The President's release

For the representative of the prosecution, the offense of manslaughter was characterized. He had requested the president's release even though: "I found you fleeing from the courtroom. You admitted it without believing it." He had also requested 100,000 € fine including 50,000 € suspended. In court, on December 11, the cellar's lawyer noted all the victim's faults. "He had a rebellious behavior but was a great worker. Many employees used this freight elevator, but not all." He pleaded for the release of the president and the company.