an agreement reached to compensate the victims

It is an announcement that comes two days before the commemoration of the tragedy. An agreement to compensate the victims of the explosion in the rue de Trévise has been found, announced Tuesday, January 11 the City, which will provide it to the tune of 20 million euros, and victims associations. An extraordinary Paris Council will be convened to validate this agreement, “probably Monday”, on the 17th, Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy (PS) to mayor PS Anne Hidalgo, told AFP. The agreement contains the “recognition of the exceptional nature of the explosion under terms which remain confidential”, said Emmanuel Grégoire.

On January 12, 2019, a very loud detonation caused by a gas leak had blown this street in the 9th arrondissement of the capital, killing 4 and injuring 66. About 400 residents had been affected. On Wednesday, the City, indicted in this case and whom the victims have so far accused of “play for time”, had said it was ready to sign the framework compensation agreement without further delay, while the contribution of the other parties involved, in particular the co-ownership manager, also under investigation and the GRDF gas distributor, remains confidential.

Emmanuel Grégoire announced in early October that the City would add 20 million euros to the compensation fund “without this presuming his guilt”. This sum is a “first stage”, he had declared. While the estimate of the total property and personal injury amounts to 200 million euros, the town hall “will have to complete at some point” according to Linda Zaourar, president of the association Vret (Victims and survivors of the explosion in the rue de Trévise), even if the other parties involved in the explosion – the syndic, GRDF, the insurer of the Generali union council and the construction company Fayolle – also abound in the fund.