Lubrizol fire: The company disputes its indictment because of "procedural irregularities" -

Robin Letellier / SIPA

The Lubrizol company, indicted following the huge fire at its factory in Rouen in September 2019, in which nearly 10,000 tonnes of chemicals burned, filed a motion for nullity in order to obtain the annulment of this indictment, we learned on Tuesday.

The Lubrizol company is indicted for "spillage of harmful substances" and for breaches having caused "serious damage" to the environment.

By this request, filed in August with the Paris court in charge of the case, Lubrizol "intends to denounce the procedural irregularities of which it was the victim and to seek the nullity of various procedural acts and its indictment", according to this document that AFP was able to consult.

Lubrizol denounces "a lack of impartiality"

“The conditions under which the inspection procedure carried out” by the Dreal (Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning and Housing) took place, “the flagrance investigation and the preliminary investigation have affected serious to the fundamental principle of the right to a fair trial and to the interests of Lubrizol France ”, argues the request.

The company mentions in particular an "indictment on the basis of alleged non-conformities" because, in its view, "flagrant irregularities and inconsistencies in the context of the inspection procedure of the Dreal, the 'flagrance investigation and preliminary investigation', these elements being, according to the company, constituting the nullity that it claims.

"In a context of media urgency", the way in which the inspection and investigation were carried out is "such as to characterize a lack of impartiality and loyalty, essential principles of the right to a fair trial", argues Lubrizol.

This request should be examined by the investigating chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal.

The investigation is carried out by the Public Health Pole of the Paris prosecutor's office.

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  • Lubrizol

  • Rouen

  • Indictment

  • Justice