Τρεις οικοδόμοι tragically lost their lives on Tuesday (May 13) when a stone wall collapsed, burying them in Pomard, a wine-growing village in Eastern France. An investigation has been launched into involuntary manslaughter due to workplace negligence, according to Dijon prosecutor Olivier Caracots, who noted that the victims were aged 45, 56, and 58. They were conducting work on a local farm when an old stone wall collapsed and trapped them.
Two local officials arrived at the scene quickly and attempted to clear the debris to rescue the unfortunate workers. Rescuers made desperate efforts to save them, but to no avail.
Nous apprenons le décès de 3 ouvriers sur un chantier en Côte d’or. La CGT adresse ses condoléances aux familles.
3 de plus, c’est 3 de trop !
Chaque jour 2 personnes meurent au travail, ça suffit ! L’Etat doit agir face à cette hécatombe.
Retrouvez le CP de la fédé… pic.twitter.com/Yp16THvN0h
— La CGT (@lacgtcommunique) May 13, 2025
The farm where the incident occurred is surrounded by ancient stone walls, typical of this area near the renowned Château de Pommard winery in Burgundy.
The construction union has called for an “enhancement of safety measures,” stressing that France has one of the highest workplace fatality rates in the world.
In 2023, there were over 700,000 reported workplace accidents in France, with compensation claims for 555,000 of those. Tragically, 759 individuals lost their lives, which is 21 more than in 2022.
