Advertisement

Industry boss sentenced to jail in Italy

Author thumbnail
Industry boss sentenced to jail in Italy
Photo: DPA

An Italian court on Friday sentenced German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp's director-general in Italy to 16.5 years in jail for the deaths of seven workers after a fire at its Turin plant in December 2007.

Advertisement

Harald Espenhahn was convicted by a court in Turin in the north of the country of "voluntary homicide", a first in Italy for a workplace accident.

Seven workers died days and weeks after suffering severe burns when a fire broke out at the steel plant's thermal treatment department.

The fire was one of the worst in Italy and sparked a public debate over health and safety regulations.

Four other executives were convicted of complicity by carelessness and sentenced to 13.5 years in prison, and a fifth received a 10-year jail term. ThyssenKrupp was also fined one million euros.

The steelmaker called the verdict against Espenhahn "incomprehensible and in explicable," in a statement released in Italy, adding that its attorneys would look into what can be done about it.

The defence had claimed the trial was "political."

AFP/bk

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also