Almyrou amusement park: Criminal charges for the death of the 14-year-old girl

After almost three years, the preliminary investigation of the Volos Prosecutor’s Office for the tragedy at the Almyrou amusement park, where a 14 years oldSeraina, a student of the 1st Gymnasium of Almyros, who was on the “carpet” game, during rotations it was thrown about 11 meters awaycausing him to fall and be fatally injured.

According to cross-referenced information, the prosecutor in charge of the case recommends prosecution for fatal exposure of a minor with possible intent, at the expense of 76-year-old owner of the amusement parkof 30-year-old operator today from Bangladesh and the company’s technical advisor, who was responsible for controlling and operating the machines.

The case will reach the Court of Appeal

The case file has been forwarded to the investigator and the will of the Council of Criminal Misdemeanors of Volos is awaited, in order for the case to reach the Court of Appeal.
The process was slow, on the one hand because the “carpet had to be examined by experts, on the other hand because the competent prosecutor asked for documents and certificates from ministries, as well as a translation of the instructions in the Greek language, of the Italian manufacture of the machine, but also because of the memos that the owner’s defense attorney testified.

It is noted that on the same machine – “carpet”, which remains confiscated at the Almyros trade fair site, several years ago a girl in Chalkida was seriously injured, who, although today an adult, is still struggling with her health and the owner of the amusement park has been irrevocably convicted of negligent bodily harm.

However, although even then it was reported that the speed breaker did not work and the safety bars were not indicated for lateral movement of the machine, only for rotary, it turned out that although the defendant knew that the machine had problems and deficiencies, she did not take any action to improve the points that were required for the safety of users.

The tragic accident

A few hours before the curtain of the bazaar, on August 30, 2019, a 14-year-old girl from the area was fatally injured by falling from a toy.

According to information, the 14-year-old, who was a high school student, had climbed on one of the amusement park’s toys, the so-called “carpet” and under unknown circumstances, fell, hit another toy and then fell dead with a blow to the head.

The accident happened shortly before 11 at night and an ambulance from the Almyros Health Center, a fire engine and a Police patrol car immediately went to the scene. The firefighters freed the minor and she was immediately transferred to the Almyros Health Center. There, the doctors made every possible effort, but the minor succumbed to her very serious injuries.

At the time of the accident, the bazaar was full of people, who could not believe that this tragedy happened.

Tragic irony is the fact that the father of the deceased girl, is a truck driver and a week before the accident he was the one who transported the machines to the site to set up the amusement park, who suffered a heart attack after the news that his daughter was lost in an accident and had to be treated at Volos Hospital.

He feared the wrath of his relatives

The 27-year-old operator of the “carpet” from Bangladesh appeared a few days later at the Almyros Police Station and claimed in his statement that he disappeared because he was afraid of the wrath of his relatives. “He had the experience as he had operated this particular machine without any problems, having marched hundreds of thousands of people.

It was a bad moment and nothing but an unfortunate moment. From what he told me there are two buttons that turn the machine left and right. It does not have the ability to increase or decrease the speed. It is said that the speed increased automatically, this is inaccurate”, his lawyer, Christos Nastos, had stated.

Without “carpet” and “pan” this year, the Almyros bazaar

It was forbidden to place an entertainment game for the market of Almyros called “carpet” after the tragic accident that occurred in 2019 with the victim of the 14-year-old from the area. The established trade fair returns this year after a two-year hiatus. With the return to the institution, the municipal authority of Almyros took measures, according to the terms of the tender for the lease of the municipal space where the amusement park will be installed.
In the decision of the mayor Almyros Vangelis Hatzikyriakos posted in Diaugia on June 23, 2022, the placement of specific entertainment devices which are those referred to as “carpet” and “pan” was prohibited.
The lease for the established trade fair concerns a municipal area of ​​4,747 square meters.
The specific area is intended exclusively for the installation and operation of an amusement park and provides for:
– The placing of games of chance.
– The sale of any toys, trinkets and general consumer goods.
– The installation of grills – canteens (mobile or not) and street vendors (skewers, corn, etc.)
– Anything not related to Luna Park.
In addition, the placement of certain entertainment devices, which are those referred to as “carpet” and “pan”, is prohibited.
The statutory inspection reports and certificates of good and safe operation must be submitted for each machine.

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