At the scene of the fatal accident on the metro construction site in Toulouse, March 4, 2024 (AFP / Lionel BONAVENTURE)
The day after the collapse of part of a viaduct under construction on the site of the third line of the Toulouse metro, which left one dead and three injured, the investigation continued on Tuesday with findings from experts and first hearings, indicated the prosecution.
“The hearings of all the people present (on the scene during the tragedy) are underway by the investigation service seized, under the qualification of homicide and involuntary injuries within the framework of work”, specified to AFP the prosecutor of Toulouse, Samuel Vuelta-Simon.
Part of the work under construction gave way, carried away by the rupture of a retaining element late Monday afternoon in Labège, in the close suburbs of Toulouse, he indicated Monday evening.
Four people were on the viaduct at the time and had to jump from a height of almost ten meters. One died from her injuries and two were in serious condition Monday evening.
The condition of the two seriously injured people is “reassuring” on Tuesday at midday, Gilles Dolfi, general manager of Bouygues Travaux Publics Régions France, mandated for the work, said on site in a statement to the press.
The fourth victim was able to leave the hospital on Monday evening.
The mayor of Labège, Laurent Chérubin, told AFP that “there was a collapse of the deck while workers were working on it. Some had to jump.” “As an elected official, we expect answers. Why did this accident happen? I need clarity on what happened, on the reasons for the accident,” he insisted.
Asked about the potential reasons for the incident, the Bouygues representative referred to the future conclusions of the ongoing judicial and internal investigations.
“Our priority is to work with the authorities to clarify what led to this tragic accident,” assured Mr. Dolfi.
Prosecutor Samuel Vuelta-Simon specified that “the purpose of the investigation is to determine the causes of the work accident and the possible existence of breaches of an obligation of safety or prudence”.
On Tuesday, the construction site remained suspended, noted an AFP journalist. It is still too early to assess the possible delay, said Mr. Dolfi.
From the street running alongside the site, it is possible to see gendarmes near the concrete deck of the viaduct resting on the ground on a tangle of twisted metal beams.
The debris of the structure, secured by Bouygues after authorization from investigators “to ensure stability” according to Gilles Dolfi, is located about a hundred meters from one of the largest supermarkets in the Toulouse area.