The judge orders to review again if the respirator of the firefighter who died in Vilanova i la Geltrú failed


The court of Vilanova i la Geltrú investigating the death of Generalitat firefighter Joan Liébana in a fire in that town has agreed to expand the expert report to determine if the victim’s assisted breathing equipment (ERA) was defective, according to judicial sources consulted by EL PERIÓDICO . In the case there are at least two companions of the deceased accused of reckless homicide: an hour passed since the rest of the firefighters who had entered with Liébana left the burning workshop until another official accidentally found his body. The robed man instructing the investigations has also taken statements from several witnesses who have recounted what happened that day, a tragedy that he still plans on the Bombers.

you listen to them

The Mossos d’Esquadra They sent to the Barcelona court that is investigating a case of alleged corruption in the Generalitat Fire Department a statement with the telephone conversations recorded, by court order, to some of the Fire Department commanders for this matter. The agents verified that in these recordings two people responsible for the body expressed their concern about the possibility that Liébana’s death on June 17, 2020 was linked to the failure of the breathing equipment that had become a widespread problem.

“Between you and me; I have the Liébana case in mind & rdquor ;, he admitted Maxim of the Valley –already ceased as a result–when he was head of the Servei Tècnic of the Bombers, in a conversation he had on December 22, 2021 with a superior, Anthony Ramos, alluding to the widespread problems presented by these teams. On successive days, del Valle manifested that hypothesis in other talks with other people in charge of the body.

The agents investigating the case of alleged corruption indicated to the court of Barcelona that if he considered it pertinent, he should send his report to his counterpart in Vilanova i la Geltrú, who is the one who tries to clarify the death of Liébana. The sources consulted assure that the latter togado has requested, to the same company that already examined the respiratory equipment of the deceased firefighter, to expand on your report and determine if the ventilator failure hypothesis is possible. From the Ministry of the Interior to other sources they assure that the possibility that Liébana really died due to equipment failure is remote.

serious anomaly

Some air equipment used by the Generalitat Bombers have presented a serious anomaly: the pressure gauge (the instrument that informs the firefighter of how much air is available during a service) freezes for unknown reasons. The problem does not interrupt the oxygen supply, but it does mislead the firefighter, who, following a frozen pressure gauge, believes that he still has a reserve and can suddenly run out of air. The unknown is whether a new expert opinion from the Liébana team will be able to clarify this point, since the fault arises when moisture is introduced into the respirator and the pressure gauge is blocked.

Related news

The Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office has opened another investigation into the failure of these devices as a result of a complaint filed by the Firefighters’ unions to clarify whether the Ministry of the Interior has committed a crime against the safety of workers, by having put in “danger the life of firefighters & rdquor; for not providing them with new air conditioners. The sources consulted assure that these investigations are still incipient and that a conclusion has not yet been reached. Beforehand, the information requested from the Generalitat regarding these respirators must be analyzed and whether the safety of workers has really been put at risk.

The Generalitat has bought 400 new pieces of equipment and 700 oxygen cylinders. It has also outsourced the maintenance service for this equipment to guarantee the good condition of the compressors. –machines that recharge– and also to take care of the traceability of the bottles. Both things, essential requirements so that the current crisis does not repeat itself.


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