Romanian Court Extends Arrest For Nurse Charged With Manslaughter In Maternity Fire Case

Nurse Florentina Cirstea, arrested on charges of manslaughter and unintentionally causing injuries, may appeal the decision with the Bucharest Court.

The hospital’s technical department chief, Vasile Dima, and the head of the neonatology department, Adrian Ioan Toma, also face negligence charges but are being investigated at large.

The fire of August 16 in the maternity ward of Bucharest’s Giulesti hospital left three premature babies dead and eight others severely injured. Two more babies died in the following days and a third one died this weekend, nearly one month after the fire.

The first two of the surviving babies, twins, have been released from hospital Wednesday.

After the fire, investigators found violations of safety rules involving workers, the security of electrical systems and human resources management and the hospital faces charges of manslaughter and unintentionally causing injuries, said chief prosecutor Marius Iacob.

The hospital’s entire management has been suspended by order of Bucharest general mayor Sorin Oprescu until the investigation is completed. The hospital was also closed for investigations and then repairs and could be reopen in the next two weeks.