In Béziers, eight years after the tragic fire that claimed the life of one firefighter and seriously injured three others, the court handed down its verdict on Thursday. Christophe Risdorfer, 61, former director of the Hérault Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS 34), was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, 18 months of which were suspended, along with a fine of 10,000 euros and a five-year ban on working in any role within the safety sector.
The trial, which began on Monday at the Béziers Criminal Court, has highlighted numerous failings within the operational system. According to prosecutor David Durand, the organisational shortcomings of the Vailhauquès Forest Fire Response Unit (GIFF) were such that the tragedy was ‘inevitable’.
Christophe Risdorfer was charged with “manslaughter” and “causing bodily harm”, as were four other SDIS officials. The magistrate emphasised in particular that the former director could not have been unaware of the serious malfunctions affecting the two tankers deployed on the day of the tragedy, highlighting their dilapidated condition, the lack of effective safety systems and faulty communication equipment.
The emotions of the victims and their families upon hearing the verdict
One of the surviving firefighters, Lucas Canuel, who suffered severe burns and had all ten fingers amputated, spoke after the verdict was handed down: “Justice has finally been done after nine long years of legal proceedings. I understand those who feel this sentence is insufficient given what we have been through and the irreparable loss caused by the death of our colleague.”
The tragedy took place on 10 August 2016 near Gabian, when the firefighters found themselves surrounded by flames. The young firefighter Jérémy Beier, aged just 24, died after 42 days in a coma, whilst his colleagues suffered serious and permanent injuries.
In addition to Christophe Risdorfer, Michel Coste, a former deputy head of the SDIS technical department, was given a twelve-month suspended prison sentence. The court also held him responsible for the poor condition of the vehicles deployed during the operation.
Among the operational officers involved, Franck Ravel, who was in charge of the team during the operation, was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence, as was the officer responsible for air coordination, who had been criticised for his lack of efficiency during the operations. By contrast, Olivier Laurent, the sector commander, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence of his direct responsibility.
The victims’ families and the firefighters present at the hearings reacted emotionally to the verdict, thus turning the page on a painful chapter – one that was necessary, however, to ensure that responsibility was officially acknowledged.