Five and a half years after the tragedy of the Gabian fire (Hérault), which claimed the life of a firefighter and seriously injured three others, in a forest in the north of the department, the victims found that one of the people indicted as part of the investigation was in the cast of the next Koh-Lanta, which is scheduled to debut on February 22, on
TF1. This is The Chained Duck who revealed this information, in its latest edition. He is a firefighter of the Hérault SDIS. He was implicated in this case, along with other line managers.
“The victims are shocked, and feel, once again, despised by the SDIS” [Service d’incendie et de secours], entrusts to 20 Minutes Luc Abratkiewicz, the lawyer for the family of the firefighter who lost his life in Gabian, and two of his colleagues, who were injured. They “have been in a trial for a very long time, they are waiting for the end of the instruction, which is long, which is scheduled for the end of the year. Meanwhile, one of the executives is featured in a reality show. The presumption of innocence does not prevent respecting and showing dignity in the face of victims. »
“How could the hierarchy” have let him participate in it, wonders one victim
Joined by 20 Minutes, one of the victims of the Gabian fire, wonders about “how the hierarchy [du SDIS], knowing the facts, authorized this person “to participate in Koh-Lanta. “I understand that it’s to defend the image of the fire brigade, but the least of it is to protect his agent, and to tell him that this case is ongoing, we are not for you to participate, but once the case is judged, obviously, with pleasure, that we will encourage you,” she notes.
In a statement, the SDIS of Hérault specifies that the “indictment of the officer in this case occurs under his former duties as head of the training service and does not constitute pending the continuation of the judicial proceedings a fault of the officer who remains presumed innocent”. The Fire department recalls that its agent “participated in this show in a personal capacity and during his annual leave period using his time savings account, as well as any other agent who requests it to engage in sports, cultural challenges or personal projects. “And the SDIS assures that she did not ask him to do the show.
The production company was not aware, she assures
The Chained duck, Adventure Line Productions (ALP), the company that produces Koh-Lanta, assured that she was unaware of this indictment. “The information about him was not public and it is covered by the secrecy of the investigation,” ALP assures. The candidate “indicated that he was not the subject of any conviction and sent us an extract from his criminal record. His indictment does not call into question these elements since he is legally presumed innocent at this stage of the proceedings. »
20 Minutes a solicited the candidate Héraultais, through the production company, which indicates that he will not speak, being subject to the secrecy of the instruction.
“To be put under investigation is to be presumed innocent, recalled Ludovic Para, the adventurer’s lawyer, on Wednesday evening, on the set of Don’t touch my post (C8). The problem is that there is a kind of media court that is trying to substitute for justice (…) On the scene [à Gabian], he was not there. According to the lawyer, the firefighter is “implicated in this case because he was the training manager,” like other line managers. And if he did not tell the production company that he is under investigation, it is because “he was not asked the question. Why would he say that? To be indicted is to be presumed innocent. »