The Złotoryja District Prosecutor’s Office has concluded its investigation into a construction disaster—the collapse of the four-storey building of the former malt house on Fabryczna Street in Chojnów. The incident occurred on August 6 last year. A 49-year-old man died under the building’s rubble, while two others, aged 24 and 28, sustained serious bodily injuries.

Investigators established that after malt production ceased in June 2011 and the building was left unattended, it was systematically looted and vandalized. Various people removed the building’s equipment and ripped out windows and doors. Once only the building itself remained, they cut metal structural elements out of the walls and ceilings in order to sell them at a scrap-metal collection point.

This was also the purpose of the three injured men. They brought, among other things, power generators, angle grinders, a heavy hammer with a metal handle and masonry chisels. At around 8 a.m., they entered the fourth floor and began working. After approximately 15 minutes, the building collapsed, and the 49-year-old was killed under the rubble. It was established that the victim had repeatedly entered the abandoned malt house, systematically dismantling the structure.

The second injured man, aged 24, suffered fractures to the bones of his legs, ribs and skull, as well as to his spine. He had difficulty walking for a long time. The 28-year-old was diagnosed with an injury to the spine, in the lumbar region, and to the head.

According to an expert, the cause of the malt house’s collapse was... the removal of its structural elements—iron columns, beams and girders. The people working inside the building on the day of the collapse triggered the disaster.

Since the property owner had shown no interest in the abandoned malt house and, despite being summoned by the municipality and construction supervision authorities, had failed to secure the building, the prosecutor concluded that she had committed the offence specified in Article 91a of the Construction Law (failure to maintain a building in proper technical condition), which carried a penalty of up to one year in prison.

The 42-year-old Violetta Ch. from Łódź did not admit to committing the offence with which she was charged. She explained that the Legnica PINB had ordered her to secure the building, but her difficult financial situation had prevented her from doing so. She is currently an unemployed mother of five. She had also never been convicted.

In view of the above, the prosecutor submitted a motion to the court for the conditional discontinuation of proceedings against the 42-year-old woman. The motion also sought to impose a two-year probation period on Violetta Ch. and order her to pay PLN 3,000 to the Fund for Assistance to Victims and Post-Penitentiary Assistance.

Legnica District Prosecutor’s Office/ii