Four Austrians given suspended sentence after deadly gas explosion
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Loading... - Patrik Krenn
- 19 May 2022
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They were “found guilty of negligently causing the explosion by failing to comply with their safety obligations”, a regional court in Korneuburg announced in a statement.
A subcontracting company was also fined 125,000 euros ($132,000) and handed a suspended sentence. It follows 18 days of hearings into the blast and fire at the Baumgarten terminal, near the Slovak border, on December 12, 2017.
The disaster took place a day after the installation of a new tank. Mistakes were made by subcontractor Bilfinger Bohr & Rohrtechnik when a piece of gas piping equipment was dismantled at another site in Austria, according to the public prosecutor’s office.
It malfunctioned when it was reinstalled at Baumgarten — gas escaped under high pressure and caused the explosion.
The 32-year-old technician who died was responsible for ensuring it was working properly. The four employees were given ten-month suspended sentences, and the other eight people prosecuted were acquitted.
It was not made clear whether those convicted intended to appeal.
Three of the injured received a symbolic compensation payment of 600 euros ($632) each and the family of the victim will be reimbursed for funeral expenses. Baumgarten is one of Central Europe’s main distribution centres for gas arriving from Russia. Read More...
