• Saturday, 02 November 2024

Trial for deadly Tetovo hospital fire postponed on Oct. 14

Trial for deadly Tetovo hospital fire postponed on Oct. 14
Tetovo, 6 September 2022 (MIA) - The trial for the deadly 2021 fire in a Tetovo modular hospital, which was scheduled to start on Tuesday, was postponed and rescheduled on October 14 after some defendants were not present at the hearing. Florin Besimi, the then director of the Tetovo Clinical Hospital, arrived in court for today's hearing, whereas the economic director, Artan Etemi, and director Boban Vuchevski, were a no-show. "Everything I have to say about the court proceedings I will say it to the court... I'm convinced the judicial system will prove the truth, which is why I'm here, to tell the truth and everyone to find out the truth about this case," Besimi told reporters leaving the court. Asked if he feels guilty, he said he doesn't. "No, I don't, and I will prove this with evidence," he stressed. The modular Covid hospital fire on September 8, 2021, claimed the lives of 14 people leaving several patients severely injured. The trial was scheduled after the prosecution on July 27 filed an indictment charging the two directors of the Tetovo Clinical Hospital with grave offenses against the general safety and one director with failing to act according to the health regulations during an epidemic. The Tetovo Clinical Hospital as a legal entity is also charged with causing general danger and failing to act according to the health regulations during an epidemic. The prosecution conducted a ten-month investigation, which included expert analyses and forensic analyses by the Interior Ministry, the Faculty of Technological Sciences as well as experts and investigators from the German federal crime police. After Interior Ministry's forensic investigation, the prosecution in October 2021 said that the fire in the modular hospital, where Covid patients were treated, broke out as a result of an extension cord on fire in which a reanimation machine, a mobile phone charger and another device were switched on. The two directors stepped down after the fire, but continued to do their job until the government reshuffle.