Belgian Court Fines Employer €24,000 in Umicore Death
The Antwerp criminal court has fined cleaning company Group Victor Peeters €24,000 for safety failures that led to the death of 28-year-old worker Axel Cap in an explosion at the Umicore precious metals recycling plant in Hoboken, Antwerp, in March 2023. Umicore, the site owner, was acquitted and discharged from prosecution.
The Accident
On Saturday, March 11, 2023, Axel Cap was performing cleaning operations at the Umicore water treatment facility in Hoboken. He was working as a self-employed subcontractor for Group Victor Peeters, a cleaning company based in Herentals in the Kempen region. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, a tanker truck used for the cleaning had not been fully emptied. During the cleaning of a silo with quicklime, pressure inside the tanker rose rapidly, causing it to explode. Axel was catapulted by the blast and suffered severe burns.
He was rushed to the burn center at ZNA Stuivenberg hospital, where he fought for his life for two weeks. Axel Cap died on Thursday, March 23, 2023, leaving behind a wife and a six-year-old daughter.
The Court’s Ruling
On Tuesday, June 30, 2026 — more than three years after the accident — the Antwerp court delivered its verdict. The court found that Group Victor Peeters had failed to take sufficient measures to properly train workers and limit risks.
“The company bears responsibility for the welfare and safety of its employees,” the court stated in its judgment. “The risk analysis carried out was insufficiently concrete and insufficiently adapted to the actual working conditions. The employees involved did have experience, but lacked the appropriate and specific training as vacuum machine operators. That is a shortcoming the company should have recognized.”
The court also rejected the defense argument that there was no causal link between the inadequate instructions and the accident, ruling that proper training would have “significantly reduced the risk of errors and accidents.”
Family’s Response
The Cap family’s lawyer, Davina Simons, expressed satisfaction with the verdict. “We are satisfied that there is finally recognition and that the court confirms that this accident could clearly have been avoided,” Simons told HLN. “That signal is appreciated. Hopefully the family can now close this chapter.”
In addition to the €24,000 fine, the court awarded the claimed damages to the victim’s family. The verdict can still be appealed.
A Brother’s Tribute
Axel’s brother, Aron Cap, had previously paid tribute to him following the accident, saying: “My brother fought like a warrior. He is a great example and I love him very much.” On the third anniversary of the accident in March 2026, Aron posted another tribute, recalling his brother’s nickname “bear”: “Strong, warm and protective, but also so soft inside. That is how I will always remember you.”
Legal Significance
The case sets an important precedent for employer liability in subcontractor relationships in Belgium. Despite Axel Cap working as a self-employed subcontractor, the court held Group Victor Peeters responsible for providing adequate training and safety measures. This reinforces that companies cannot evade their safety obligations through subcontracting arrangements.
Umicore’s acquittal suggests the court found that primary responsibility lay with the cleaning company for specific training and safety failures, rather than with the site owner. The company, a global leader in precious metals recycling, has faced previous safety incidents, including a 2014 silo accident at its Olen plant that killed two workers.
What’s Next
With the possibility of an appeal still open, the legal process may not yet be fully concluded. The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of inadequate workplace safety training, and reinforces Belgian courts’ willingness to hold companies accountable for failures that lead to loss of life.