Second Fatality in Lyon Chemical Plant Explosion Spurs Union Legal Actions

A second victim died from injuries sustained in a December 22 explosion at Elkem Silicones, a chemical plant in Saint-Fons near Lyon, intensifying scrutiny following the initial tragic incident. The 55-year-old man passed away days after a 47-year-old employee, a CFDT union member, succumbed to injuries from the blast. Two other people remain seriously injured.

The Lyon prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into involuntary injuries resulting in serious harm, with the Organized Crime Division and the Departmental Directorate of Employment, Labor, and Solidarity conducting inquiries into the explosion's circumstances. Plant director Jean-Pierre Lerat indicated that the cause likely involved hydrogen gas emissions during a process in a pilot laboratory established in 2021 under current safety regulations. A reaction went wrong during an intervention, releasing hydrogen gas and triggering the explosion.

About 100 firefighters responded to the ensuing fire, while Highway 7 and nearby rail and river traffic were temporarily suspended. Approximately 1,000 local residents were confined as a precaution.

Labor unions CGT and CFDT condemned the event as "an intolerable accident" and announced they will file civil party actions, demanding a thorough investigation. CGT representative Jacques Lacaille emphasized the serious workplace safety concerns this incident raises, noting prior safety alerts and a history of incidents at this Seveso-classified facility, which employs roughly 570 people.

The prosecutor’s investigation includes potential charges of involuntary manslaughter and bodily harm linked to workplace conditions. This development reflects growing calls for accountability and improved risk management at high-hazard chemical plants near Lyon.