Volunteer firefighted fined over boy's death

A French court today handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence to a volunteer firefighter, and a £100,000 (€147,500) fine to an apartment operator, following the death of an eight-year-old Scottish boy killed when he fell down a lift shaft.

Euan Abel’s parents – Rhoda and Graeme – attended the trial in the French Alpine city of Grenoble.

“My son died needlessly, and an accident like this must not be allowed to happen again,” the mother said in a statement distributed to reporters by their lawyer.

“I think of Euan every day. His smile will always be with me.”

Euan died in April, 2001, after he fell down a lift shaft in an apartment building at the l’Alpe-d’Huez ski station.

The lift, built for eight people, got stuck between two floors with 13 people aboard.

Volunteer firefighter David Merlin was part of a team that got them out. But the fire crew forgot to lock a lift door behind them once they were done.

A few hours later, Euan opened the door and fell four floors.

He died in a hospital two days later.

He and his parents had been on holiday.

The apartment operator, Pierre et Vacances, was fined.

Merlin was convicted of manslaughter.

The court also ordered them together to pay £60,000 (€87,892) in damages to the boy’s family.