Paris City Hall and Condominium Management Company Face Trial Over 2019 Trévise Street Explosion
In a significant development concerning the tragic explosion on Trévise Street in Paris in January 2019, three investigating judges have ordered a trial for the City of Paris and the condominium management company, SAS CIPA. The case, which will be heard in criminal court, revolves around the devastating incident that resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to over 200 others.
The decision to proceed with a trial marks a crucial step in the pursuit of accountability for the disaster, which shook the French capital and left lasting scars on the community. The charges brought against the City of Paris and SAS CIPA include "involuntary manslaughter and injury" and "destruction, degradation, or damage by the effect of an explosion or fire to real estate or personal property." These charges underscore the gravity of the alleged negligence that led to the catastrophic event.
According to sources familiar with the case, a preliminary meeting is scheduled for March, bringing together all parties involved to establish the procedural timeline. This meeting will pave the way for a hearing on May 23, where the definitive judicial schedule will be determined. The trial itself is anticipated to last approximately two months, potentially taking place in early 2026, a timeframe that coincides with the lead-up to municipal elections. This proximity to the elections raises concerns about the potential politicization of the proceedings, a point addressed by the City of Paris’s legal counsel.
The judicial investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting "faults of recklessness and negligence on the part of the City of Paris." Specifically, the investigating judges noted the city’s failure to conduct "the necessary investigations to determine the causes of the sidewalk collapse." This collapse, the judges contend, led to the rupture of a gas pipeline, which ultimately triggered the explosion. The judges’ order, signed on February 21, was reviewed by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday.
Adding to the complexity of the case, the condominium management company, SAS CIPA, is accused of delaying "the repair of the building’s wastewater collector," despite being informed "as early as November 25, 2015" of the wastewater leak. This alleged delay, prosecutors argue, contributed to the conditions that led to the explosion.
Linda Zaourar, president of the association of victims and survivors of the explosion, expressed a sense of relief and hope that the trial will provide answers and closure. "We hope to have answers about this tragedy that shattered lives," she stated. "Those who are implicated will finally answer before justice, and we will be able to express what we have experienced. It’s a relief." However, Zaourar also voiced concerns that the insurance company might exploit the situation, "playing the waiting game and blocking compensation claims until the trial."
The explosion on January 12, 2019, on Trévise Street in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, claimed the lives of four people, including two firefighters. The blast injured over 200 individuals and displaced approximately 400 residents. The event triggered widespread grief and outrage, prompting calls for a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible.
Olivier Morice, the lawyer representing the civil parties in the case, conveyed his clients’ satisfaction with the decision to proceed with a trial. "It is a great satisfaction for all of my clients, and we eagerly await the trial," he told AFP. The investigating judges’ decision to order the trial aligns with the Paris prosecutor’s office’s recommendations from mid-October.
Sabrina Goldman, the lawyer representing the City of Paris, acknowledged the decision to proceed with a trial but also expressed reservations about the evidence presented. "This referral will allow for a contradictory debate at the hearing, during which the criminal court cannot ignore the inconsistencies of the penal expertise and their discordance with the civil expertise, which retains a very different causality of the accident," Goldman told Le Monde.
Goldman emphasized the City of Paris’s desire for the trial to be conducted in a non-political and serene atmosphere. "Even though the city has compensated the victims within the framework of the framework agreement, it disputes its responsibility and will be keen to explain itself," she stated. The City of Paris has already provided compensation to the victims of the explosion, but it maintains that it is not responsible for the incident.
Efforts to reach the lawyer representing the condominium management company, SAS CIPA, for comment were unsuccessful. The trial promises to be a complex and emotionally charged event, with significant implications for the victims, their families, and the City of Paris. The proceedings will likely focus on determining the extent to which negligence contributed to the explosion and holding those responsible accountable for their actions or omissions. The trial outcome could set important precedents for liability in cases involving infrastructure failures and negligence by public entities and private companies.
