Belgian City of Gent Guilty of Manslaughter in Storm Deaths
A Belgian court has found the City of Gent guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deaths of two people during Storm Ciarán in November 2023, ruling that the city’s deficient tree management policies were directly responsible for the fatalities. The Correctional Court of Gent delivered the verdict on June 24, 2026, marking a rare instance of a municipal government being held criminally liable for deaths linked to a natural event.
The Victims
Matvii, a five-year-old Ukrainian boy, was killed by a falling poplar branch at the Henri Storyplein in Zwijnaarde while attending a city-run summer camp. On the same day, a 64-year-old German tourist died when a horse chestnut tree fell on her in the Citadelpark; her daughter was also seriously injured, according to VRT NWS.
The Court’s Ruling
The court ruled that the deaths were caused by the city’s “deficient park tree management policy” (“gebrekkig parkbomenbeleid”). The poplar tree at Henri Storyplein had been infested with fungi for three to four years — a condition that was visually detectable — and posed a serious danger even in non-storm weather. The horse chestnut in Citadelpark stood directly next to a walking path.
“The City of Gent allowed enormous safety risks to arise for visitors of parks. The city was completely ignorant about the condition of dozens or even hundreds of park trees,” the court stated in its ruling, as reported by De Morgen.
The court explicitly rejected the city’s defense of force majeure, ruling that the facts “would not have occurred if the City of Gent had conducted an adequate tree policy.” The judge emphasized that the trees’ locations — near playgrounds and walking paths — required special vigilance that was entirely absent. The court found that the city had no systematic monitoring system for park trees, creating what it called a “dangerous and unacceptable situation.”
Penalty and Damages
Since a city as a legal entity can only receive a “simple guilty verdict” (eenvoudige schuldigverklaring), no classic criminal punishment was imposed. However, the court ordered the city to pay substantial compensation:
- €267,155.19 in damages to the civil parties
- €10,988.37 in legal costs
- A provisional compensation of €70,000 to the injured daughter of the German tourist
A court-appointed expert will determine the full compensation for her injuries, which included serious leg wounds sustained when the tree fell, as detailed by HLN.
City’s Response and Possible Appeal
Louis De Groote, the lawyer representing the City of Gent, expressed disappointment with the verdict. “There are no winners in this case. We have always had attention for the suffering of the victims,” he said, according to VRT NWS. De Groote noted that the city will study the verdict before deciding whether to appeal, and acknowledged that the ruling could set a precedent for similar cases against municipal governments. He maintained that the city’s tree policy was compliant with prevailing norms.
Broader Implications
This verdict establishes a significant legal precedent in Belgium. Municipal governments can now be held criminally liable for deaths resulting from deficient infrastructure management, even when a natural event like a storm is involved. The court’s rejection of the force majeure defense signals that cities have a duty of care to maintain public spaces safely, and that systematic failures in tree inspection programs can constitute criminal negligence. Legal experts suggest this could lead to widespread reforms in how Belgian municipalities approach tree maintenance and public safety.
Corrective Measures Already Taken
Following the tragedy, the City of Gent implemented several reforms. In December 2023, the city introduced new storm protocols including automatic park closures at code orange weather warnings and emergency alerts sent to all mobile phones on Gent territory at code red. The city also began revising its tree inspection and maintenance policies, moving toward a more systematic approach. These measures, however, came too late for the victims.
What’s Next
The City of Gent has yet to announce whether it will appeal the verdict. If an appeal is filed, the case could prolong for years. Meanwhile, the ruling is expected to pressure other Belgian municipalities to urgently review their tree management policies to avoid similar liability. The court’s emphasis on systematic monitoring failures serves as a warning to local governments across the country.
“For the survivors, the consequences of these facts are terrible. They carry this with them for the rest of their lives,” the court said in its ruling, underscoring the human toll of administrative neglect.