tagged: Bank Marfin victims, findings, fire, investigation, Marfin Bank, molotov coktails, Papathanasopoulou, Tsakalis, victims, Zoulia

Marfin Bank-Victims: Deficiencies in Fire Protection System

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Society

Significant deficiencies in the fire protection system of the Marfin Bank contributed to the tragic death of three bank employees during clashes in Athens, report the Inspectorate of the Greek Ministry of Labour . Investigating the circumstances of  employees’ deaths and the fire the inspectors indicate that the only emergency exit in the ground floor was locked, the remote control was lost, there were significant deficiencies in the fire protection system and that the employees were not trained to deal with fire emergency situations. 

Newspaper TO VIMA presents exclusively the findings of  inspectors’s investigation, findings that were concluded and filed last July!

• There was only one emergency exit in the ground floor, next ot the banks’ main entrance; the emergency exit was locked; there was only one remote control to open it; this was lost
• Two other possible emergency exits in the first and third floors were locked
• 14 employees managed to escape from a door, randomly open for ventilation as the ‘toilet’ was smelling 

• There was no fire safety certificate, issued by the Fire Department
• Employees had not adequate training to deal with emergency situations; Employees-witnesses reported there was no information-education training, neither any kind of emergency evacuation exercises.; only one employee was demonstrating how to use fire extinguishers; another employee reported of distributed pamphlets on fire safety issues.

Marfin Popular Bank, Stadiou Branch, was employing 27 people. The Bank belongs to Greek businessman Andreas Vgenopoulos, who is also owner of Olympic Air and DELTA dairies company.

The Bank became the target of  Molotov cocktail bombs thrown by unknown assailants during a huge demonstration in Athens, on May 5, 2010.

Epameinondas Tsakalis, 36, Paraskevi Zoulia, 35, Aggeliki Papathanasopoulou, 32, and her four months unborn baby found a tragical death from asphyxiation, as they inhaled huge quantities of smoke, said the findings of the Forensic.

The police has not manage so far to identify and catch the perpetrators.

Inspector’s findings in Greek/To VIMA