Ghent found guilty over storm Ciarán deaths
A court in Ghent has ruled that the city was responsible for the deaths of two people during Storm Ciarán in November 2023 because of poor management of trees in its parks.
A 64-year-old German tourist was killed when a tree fell on her in Citadel Park. A five-year-old Ukrainian boy also died after a large branch fell at a playground in the city. Two other people were seriously injured.
The court found that both trees had been badly affected by disease for several years and that their poor condition should have been noticed during routine inspections. An expert said the damage was visible and that parts of the trees could have fallen even in normal weather.
Judges criticised the city’s tree management and said Ghent had failed to take adequate steps to reduce safety risks in its parks. The court concluded that the deaths and injuries would likely have been prevented if a proper tree monitoring policy had been in place.
As a public authority, the city could only receive a formal declaration of guilt rather than a criminal punishment. However, the court awarded more than 300,000 euros in provisional compensation to victims and their families. The family of the German tourist was awarded 270,000 euros, while her injured daughter received an initial payment of 70,000 euros.
Ghent has the right to appeal the ruling. The city’s lawyers argued that the tragedy was an unfortunate combination of circumstances and said the existing tree policy met the required standards.
#FlandersNewsService | A falling tree on the R24 in Nivelles during storm Ciarán © BELGA PHOTO STRINGER