The Prosecutor's Office attached to the Bucharest Tribunal announced on Tuesday having completed, after five years, the investigation into the January 29, 2021 fire at the 'Matei Bals' Institute in Bucharest, which caused four deaths at the scene and nine more in the following period. Prosecutors have indicted two individuals and two legal entities for various forms of negligent destruction resulting in a disaster, as well as abuse of office in one case.

According to the indictment, the fire broke out around 05:05 in Pavilion V, where COVID-19 patients were receiving continuous oxygen therapy. Investigators determined that the blaze was triggered when textile materials ignited after coming into contact with a space heater placed between two beds. The heater had been brought in by a patient's relatives amid a lack of heating in the pavilion.

Prosecutors documented the presence of 11 air heaters and eight electric radiators in the pavilion, despite regulations explicitly prohibiting such devices in oxygen-enriched environments.

Forensic autopsies concluded that nine of the 26 deaths recorded in the blaze aftermath were causally linked to the fire, while 17 resulted from unrelated pathological causes, leading to a partial dismissal of the case.

The defendants and charges are as follows:
Simona Corina Gabriela Ilie (formerly Berezitchi) - Head of Procurement at the 'Matei Bals' Institute, charged with abuse of office and negligent destruction resulting in a disaster.
Prosecutors say she illegally awarded contracts worth RON 285,999 to Midan Fire Exit SRL through direct procurement, bypassing legal thresholds and favoring a company with which she had personal and professional ties. The company lacked approval from the Emergency Management Inspectorate General (IGSU), specialized teams, and mandatory equipment, leaving the hospital without a functional fire-intervention mechanism.

Mihaita Danila - Fire Safety Technical Officer at 'Matei Bals'; de facto administrator of Midan Fire Exit SRL, charged with negligent destruction resulting in a disaster.
Prosecutors allege he simultaneously acted as the hospital's fire-safety officer and the real manager of the contracted company, creating a conflict of interest. He allegedly ignored the presence of prohibited heaters and contributed both to the failure to prevent the fire and to the lack of intervention capacity once it started.

Midan Fire Exit SRL (legal entity), charged with negligent destruction resulting in a disaster.
The company allegedly provided emergency-response services without IGSU approval, without specialized teams, and without required equipment. On the night of the fire, only one firefighter, lacking protective gear and breathing apparatus, was on duty - making intervention impossible.

'Matei Bals' Institute (legal entity), charged with negligent destruction resulting in a disaster.
Prosecutors argue that the institute tolerated the use of external heaters in oxygen-therapy rooms, failed to identify and assess fire risks, did not train staff adequately, and lacked a functional emergency plan. Oxygen concentration in rooms was never checked during the pandemic.

The investigators concluded that the disaster resulted from 'a combination of independent and complementary causes', including illegal contracting of a non-compliant emergency service, tolerance of prohibited heating devices, and conflicting roles within the fire-safety chain. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Eusebi Manolache; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)