Wałbrzych, Paderewskiego Street. During construction works, they damaged the gas pipeline and an explosion occurred. Five people charged

In June 2022, eight fire brigades intervened after a gas explosion in a tenement house at ul. Paderewski in Wałbrzych. – The excavator operator damaged the installation, gas got inside the building and an explosion occurred – said Senior Capt. Tomasz Kwiatkowski from the Wałbrzych fire brigade. There were few residents in the tenement house, and most of them – according to the services – left it before the explosion. 30 people were evacuated from adjacent houses. One person was taken to hospital. The tenement house was damaged.

The police and prosecutors explained what happened. Over a year of investigation into the case resulted in charges against five people. – According to the investigators’ findings, a 43-year-old resident of Trzebnica and a 33-year-old resident of Nowa Ruda directly performed earthworks contrary to the provisions and principles of Occupational Health and Safety. As a result of mechanical damage to the pipe leading gas through the bucket of the operated excavator, and the gas explosion, both suspects brought a threat to the life and health of many people and large-scale property – informs comm. Marcin Świeży from the Wałbrzych police. He adds that three other men – 36-year-old and 57-year-old construction works managers and a 36-year-old construction inspector – “failed to ensure (…) proper supervision of the construction works, and as a result, they also contributed to this incident.” .

The court will decide the fate of the suspects. The men face up to 10 years in prison.