Fatal Accident at Drive Leclerc Les Angles: Employee Dies

Few things hit a community harder than a workplace tragedy. On February 12, 2024, a 50-year-old employee at the Drive Leclerc in Les Angles, Gard, lost his life after falling from a step ladder while stocking products. The incident, which unfolded in front of customers, has raised urgent questions about safety protocols at the popular grocery drive-through. Here’s what we know so far and what it means for workplace safety in France.

Date: February 12, 2024 ·
Location: Les Angles, Gard, France ·
Victim Age: Approximately 50 ·
Accident Type: Fall from height ·
Employer: Drive Leclerc Les Angles

Six key facts about the accident, pulled from local reports and legal commentary, show the outline of what happened.

What happened at the Leclerc drive in Les Angles?

Details of the accident

• The employee was stacking products at height using a step ladder when he lost balance and fell several meters (InfoOccitanie).
• Emergency services arrived and airlifted the victim to the North Hospital in Marseille, but he succumbed to his injuries the same day (InfoOccitanie).
• The accident occurred in front of customers, making it a public shock (Cabinet Lexvox).

The implication: a routine stock‑room task turned lethal within seconds. The presence of customers underscores how visible and preventable this tragedy was.

Victim profile

• Local media identify the employee only as a man in his 50s (InfoOccitanie).
• According to a legal commentary page, the victim was reportedly named Zeljko Mihailovic, an assistant manager with more than 20 years of seniority at E. Leclerc (Cabinet Lexvox). That identification has not been confirmed by official sources.
• He was married and had two children (Cabinet Lexvox).

The pattern: a long‑tenured employee, well‑known to his colleagues, died doing a task he likely performed hundreds of times before.

How did the fatal fall occur?

Circumstances of the fall

• The victim was reportedly trying to remove packages stuck on rails when he lost his footing (Cabinet Lexvox).
• The fall was from more than 3 meters, possibly 4 meters, according to the same source (Cabinet Lexvox).
• The area was a drive‑through grocery pickup site, not a standard retail floor, meaning the layout may have differed from a typical supermarket back room (InfoOccitanie).

The catch: the precise height and the presence (or absence) of guardrails will be decisive in the investigation. A difference of one meter can shift responsibility from accident to preventable hazard.

Witness accounts

• Customers at the drive witnessed the fall and subsequent emergency response (InfoOccitanie).
• No detailed witness statement has been published; the investigation remains ongoing (Cabinet Lexvox).

What safety measures were in place at the drive?

Workplace safety protocols

• Use of step ladders for accessing high shelves was standard practice at the Leclerc drive (InfoOccitanie).
• No safety harness or other fall arrest system was reported to have been used (Cabinet Lexvox).
• French labor regulations require collective or individual fall protection for work at heights above 3 meters (InfoOccitanie).

Why this matters: if the fall height exceeded 3 meters, the employer may have been legally obligated to provide a fixed platform with guardrails or a safety harness. The investigation will determine whether those obligations were met.

Previous incidents at the location

• No publicly reported prior accidents at the Les Angles drive have been found in the available records (InfoOccitanie).
• The drive was reportedly closed for 7 days following the accident (InfoOccitanie).

The pattern: the lack of prior reported incidents does not rule out systemic safety gaps, which the investigation may uncover.

How has the company and community responded?

Company statement

• Leclerc expressed condolences to the family and said it was cooperating fully with the investigation, according to local reports (InfoOccitanie).
• The drive remained closed for a week; no further public statement has been issued (Cabinet Lexvox).

Community mourning

• A tribute was organized by coworkers at the Les Angles location (InfoOccitanie).
• Local residents expressed shock, describing the victim as a familiar and friendly presence (Cabinet Lexvox).

Legal developments

• The Parquet de Nîmes (Nîmes prosecutor’s office) opened an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the accident (Cabinet Lexvox).
• If negligence is found, the case may be referred to the French labor court (Conseil de Prud’hommes) for possible sanctions (InfoOccitanie).

The pattern: the company has taken a cautious public stance, but legal proceedings will determine whether internal practices need to change.

What lessons can be drawn for workplace safety?

Safety recommendations

• Falls from height are a leading cause of workplace fatalities in France, accounting for roughly 15% of all work‑related deaths each year (InfoOccitanie).
• Experts recommend fixed scaffolding or mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) instead of ladders for tasks above 3 meters (Cabinet Lexvox).
• Regular training on safe ladder use and load limits is a legal requirement under French labor law (InfoOccitanie).

Legal implications

• If the employer is found to have failed in its duty of care, it could face fines and, in serious cases, criminal charges for involuntary manslaughter (homicide involontaire) (Cabinet Lexvox).
• The victim’s family may also pursue civil compensation for loss of earnings and suffering (Cabinet Lexvox).

Voices from the tragedy

“A fatal workplace accident occurred at the Leclerc Drive in Les Angles, in the Gard department of southern France.”

— InfoOccitanie (regional news outlet)

“The worker was trying to remove packages stuck on rails when the fall occurred.”

— Cabinet Lexvox (law firm commentary)

“The drive was reportedly closed for 7 days after the accident.”

— InfoOccitanie

“The Parquet de Nîmes opened an investigation to determine the exact circumstances.”

— Cabinet Lexvox

The tragedy at Drive Leclerc Les Angles is a stark reminder that a split‑second loss of balance can end a life and shatter a family. For the retail industry in France, the choice is now clear: invest in safer working platforms and mandatory fall‑protection training for every employee working above ground level, or face the legal and human consequences when the next fall happens.

The community is still reeling from the tragic Leclerc drive accident, which claimed the life of a 50-year-old employee at the supermarket’s drive-through.

Frequently asked questions