Due to the collapse of part of a building in the center of Prague, the police are charging two people

Prague – Prague police have charged two people in connection with the collapse of a section of a reconstructed building on Mikulandská Street. They are being prosecuted for negligently causing bodily harm. Police spokesperson Jan Rybanský stated this to ČTK today. The accident occurred in the city center three years ago, injuring three workers.

On the morning of July 17, 2018, two floors collapsed in the building that previously housed a primary school. At the time of the accident, there were 45 people on the construction site. According to firefighters, the situation on site was significantly chaotic, and the number of workers was unclear.

Initially, the police were investigating the matter based on suspicion of negligent endangerment. They had to request expert opinions from the field of construction. Last December, they reported that they were still waiting for the additional information. Now, the investigators have concluded their investigation by initiating criminal prosecution.

"The preparatory proceedings are still ongoing and are not public by law, so no further information can be provided to avoid disrupting the process,” Rybanský stated today.

For negligent bodily harm, the basic penalty is a maximum of one year in prison, and a ban on activities can also be imposed. However, if the perpetrator caused injuries to at least two people due to gross violation of labor safety laws, the upper limit of the penalty increases to three years.

Shortly after the building collapsed, firefighters found two people under the rubble; the third injured person did not need to be rescued. All three workers were foreigners. They were taken to the hospital, and the condition of one was very serious, requiring paramedics to induce a coma. Firefighters suspected that there could be more trapped people under the debris, so they continued rescue operations until night. A total of 120 firefighters took part in the intervention. However, they found no one else. They stabilized the building in collaboration with the Mining Rescue Service, a structural engineer, and a climbing team.

The building was reconstructed by the company Metrostav. After the accident, they stated that no safety regulations had been violated.

The building, which is not protected as a monument, dates back to the late 19th century. The renovation involved creating technological and workshop facilities for students of UMPRUM.