Helmond company prosecuted for employees' deaths

The Public Prosecutor has charged Helmond company Xycarb Ceramics with death by negligence for the death of two employees in August last year. 

A spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor confirmed this to Omroep Brabant.

The two employees - 57 year old Toon van der Loo from Veldhoven and 55 year old Tonny Vissers from Nijmegen - passed away after the reactor in which they were working released the hazardous gas argon. According to a judicial investigation, this gas, a lack of oxygen or a combination of these two factors lead to the men's deaths.

According to the Public Prosecutor, the company should have known that there was a danger of suffocation and did not take sufficient measures to protect their employees. Xycarb violated the Working Conditions Act either "intentionally or unintentionally".

The company will appear in the court in Den Bosch on November 9th.

Xycarb Ceramics produces components for the electronics industry. A fire at the Helmond company two months ago burned down almost the complete building.