Hotel Claiming 11 Lives Pledges to Compensate Victims’ Families
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, January 8
(BATUMI, Georgia)--Batumi Leogrand Hotel, where 11 died in fire and 21 were hospitalized, has signed agreements with the families of the deceased over the compensation.
The one-time compensation will amount to USD 50,000 for each family.
Lawyer KakhaTsereteli says the hotel will also provide financial support to the underage children of the deceased.
One out the 11 dead was a citizen of Iran.
Tsereteli says the hotel is currently negotiating with the family of the citizen of Iran over the compensation.
The Investigation of the causes of fire in one of the most popular hotels in Batumi is still underway.
According to the preliminary information, the anti-fire system did not work properly in the building and the five-star hotel failed to cope with the emergency situation.
The hotel owner, a Turkish national Erol Avgoreni, claims the safety measures were in order.
The hotel was opened in summer 2015 with the presence of then Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili.
In the wake of the tragedy, current Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili ordered all relevant bodies to check safety systems in hotels, schools and public gathering places.
