Suspended sentences sought in Mont Blanc tunnel trial

A French state prosecutor today called for suspended prison sentences for some of the 16 defendants on trial for manslaughter in the deadly 1999 Mont Blanc tunnel fire.

Prosecutor Vincent le Pannerer also asked the court in the town of Bonneville to throw out charges against Swedish truck maker Volvo in connection with the deaths of 39 people in the Alpine passageway between Italy and France six years ago.

The fire is believed to have started in a Volvo truck carrying flour and margarine, trapping cars, trucks and their passengers in the tunnel. The blaze burned for two days while firefighters tried to reach the cars.

The prosecutor sought a three-year suspended prison term and €12,000 for Gerard Roncoli, the head of security for the tunnel operator on the French side.

A two-year suspended sentence and €30,000 fine was requested for Remy Chardon, who heads French tunnel operator ATMB. Le Pannerer sought a six-month suspended sentence for truck driver Gilbert Degrave.

Defendants face penalties of up to three years in prison. The trial began in January after a four-year probe of the blaze.

Civil parties to the case criticised Le Pannerer’s request, insisting it was not tough enough.

“Why such a long trial to hear weak penalties of suspended prison sentences?” asked Andre Denis, who heads a group of victims’ families. “We come out of this courtroom very disappointed.”

Volvo said it hoped lessons could be learned from the “terrible tragedy for everyone involved”, and expressed satisfaction at the prosecutor’s request.

Defence lawyers are to make their case starting on Monday, and a verdict is expected in late July.