In a case unfolding in a coastal town, a plumber and a heating technician were convicted yesterday over the death of a man who died after- inhaling toxic gas due to a defective boiler installation. Both agreed in court to a suspended one-year prison sentence and a three-year ban related to a charge of gross professional negligence homicide. They admitted failing to direct the exhaust outlet of the appliance to the outside of the building when the boiler was installed, allowing gas to fill the home. The victim, a painter by trade, would have worked there the following day and inhaled the carbon monoxide.
The events began at the start of 2020 on a property located on a rural path in Son Servera, which was undergoing renovations. One of the defendants, a self-employed plumber, had been hired to install a propane-powered condensing boiler in the garage of the residence.
The installation occurred on February 3. After confirming the device operated correctly upon ignition, the installer paused awaiting final verification checks and notified the boiler’s manufacturer. On February 12, a boiler specialist technician accompanied the plumber to fine-tune the system. The expert discovered the exhaust outlet was misdirected and not vented to the exterior. Moreover, to perform gas measurements, the suction tube and its clamp were removed from the boiler.
Although neither party corrected the fault nor reattached the tube properly, the expert nonetheless produced a report certifying the appliance as correctly installed and authorised to operate. The pair left the residence with the boiler still running.
Monoxide danger emerged as deficiencies in the installation caused heavy condensation and the tube to detach, allowing carbon monoxide from the boiler to flood the dwelling. The next morning a 54-year-old German painter, hired to finish the walls, arrived at the home and began work. Unbeknownst to him, he began to inhale the gas and died from poisoning.
The investigation by the Guardia Civil, triggered by the discovery of the body, exposed the boiler’s negligence. The prosecutor charged the plumber and the technician with gross professional negligence homicide and sought three-year prison terms for each. Ultimately, prosecutors and defense attorneys reached a plea agreement, setting sentences at one year of imprisonment. The victim’s three brothers renounced any right to further appeal or remittance.