Expomedia Managers Detained in Collapse of Exhibit Hall Roof
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 3/6/2006
Three men in late February were taken into police custody in connection with the January roof collapse at Katowice Intl. Fair that killed 65 people and injured around 160.
Published reports identified the men as Bruce Robinson, a New Zealander who works as Expomedia Group Poland's managing director, and two other managers.
Katowice Intl. Fair is owned by MTK, which is 51-percent owned by Expocentres Eastern Europe, a subsidiary of Expomedia Group. The state, the city of Katowice and a handful of private investors own the remaining 49 percent.
"We strongly believe that the investigations will establish the real cause of the catastrophe and that all three men will have their names cleared," said Dominic Barretto, director of Bishopsgate Communications, Expomedia's public relations agency.
In response to other questions, Barretto said that "as a result of the further questioning of the management of MTK, the company cannot make any further comment."
Barretto would not confirm news reports that the three were accused of neglecting safety measures, failing to consult specialists about the impact of bad weather and failing to cancel the fair that was going on at the time of the accident.
The disaster forced the relocation of upcoming shows. The Katowice venue schedule included the Kitchen Furniture and Accessories Exhibition in February, and the Foodtarg Frozen Foods, Dairy Products & Meat Products Exhibition in March. April's busy schedule included the Body & Style Expo, Ecodom Intl. Fair of Measurement and the Flowertarg Gardening and Garden Architecture Fair. Another 20 smaller events were also planned over the next few months.
