A maintenance operation ended in drama on Friday, December 7, at the fertilizer production site in Montoir-de-Bretagne (Loire-Atlantique).
Three men from the company Ponticelli intervening for Yara France were working Friday, December 7, in the production unit NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) fertilizer in Montoir-de-Bretagne (Loire-Atlantique). They set up a net when the scaffolding on which they were tipped before coming to rest in an oblique position against another element. Two employees were thrown violently against the metal elements. The third, strongly shocked, alerted the relief.
A victim of 46 years
Twenty firefighters, including those of the Intervention Group in a dangerous environment of Saint-Nazaire, undertook to rescue the two wounded. But one of the workers died shortly after their arrival. This is a 46 year old man living in Saint-Joachim. The causes of his death remain to be established.
The other employee, conscious but seriously injured, was taken in charge by the emergency medical team and a firefighting doctor. He was taken to the hospital.
An open investigation
Immediately, an investigation for homicide and unintentional injuries was opened by the prosecutor's office of Saint-Nazaire. A labor inspector was on hand to carry out the first checks concerning the conditions of intervention of the victims on the site and the respect of the obligations of safety.