Trial of Argenteuil lift accident: a tragedy that claimed the life of a 4-year-old child
Eight years after the death of Ismaïl, crushed by a lift in a shopping centre in Val-d'Oise, the trial of two companies and a technician opened in Pontoise.
Trial of Argenteuil lift accident: a tragedy that claimed the life of a 4-year-old child
The Pontoise judicial tribunal opened proceedings on Wednesday 17 June into a tragedy that occurred eight years ago. Franceinfo reports that two companies and a technician are standing trial for involuntary manslaughter following the death of a four-year-old boy.
On 8 June 2018, Ismaïl was in a lift at the Argenteuil shopping centre in Val-d'Oise, accompanied by his mother, his brother and family members. As he was about to exit the cabin, it suddenly became detached. The child's body was caught and crushed between the moving floor and the fixed structure of the shaft.
His mother, Chahra-Zad Bennabti, witnessed the scene from inside the cabin, which was suspended in the void. She describes the horror of that moment: "I was in the void. I could not come down. I am the mother of a child who died before my eyes, before the eyes of his brother, his cousins, his aunt, and several people who were there."
The investigation revealed a poorly executed repair in 2015, three years before the tragedy. Experts believe that this defective intervention was the cause of the mechanical failure. The lift manufacturer, TK Elevator, disputes its responsibility. Its lawyer, Ms Marie Guimard, states that the defective part came from another supplier and that its fragility was undetectable to her client.
The company responsible for maintenance chose not to comment to the media. The highly experienced technician is also standing trial. The victim's mother hopes to obtain answers and acknowledgement of the faults committed. The trial is scheduled to continue over two days.
Source: France Info