Posted on 02/21/2006 10:52:19 AM PST by lizol
Poland arrests three over roof collapse tragedy
www.chinaview.cn 2006-02-21 00:05:44
WARSAW, Feb. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Poland has detained and plans to indict three company employees over the collapse of an exhibition hall roof that killed 65 people last month, an official said on Tuesday.
Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro told reporters after a cabinetmeeting that prosecutors had arrested three staff of MTK, which managed the exhibition hall in the southern industrial town of Chorzow, and intended to charge them with unintentionally causing the disaster.
"Police have detained three individuals, including two management board members and the technical director of MTK," Ziobro said, adding that they faced between six months and eight years in jail for their roles in the country's worst building accident.
The three have been interviewed and their cars and apartments searched, he said.
Prosecutors have been probing the accident, and the "circle of people who face charges could well grow" as the investigation continues, according to the minister.
About 500 people were in the hall for an international pigeon racing show when its metal roof gave way on Jan. 28. About 160 others were injured.
Preliminary results of the probe have shown that MTK was negligent on several factors, including its failure to remove snowfrom the roof.
MTK has said it regularly cleared the roof of snow.
"unintentionally causing the disaster."
I thought something that was 'unintentional' was an accident?
Under the polish law "unitentional crime" means a situation when a person does not intend to break a law but still does that as a result of his negligence or recklessness. That is of course a very raw definition. And of course as you suggest vast majority of crimes can only be intentional. Unintenional acts can only be penalized if it is clearly stated by the law.
In this case I presume the charge is that the managers of this trade fair venue didn't secure a proper maintenance of the building (in particular clearing the snow from the roof of the building) despite the fact that they should realise this could lead to a disaster.
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