Editing Enschede fireworks disaster (section)

==Legal proceedings==
On 20 May, Dutch authorities issued an international [[arrest warrant]] for the two managers of the company, Rudi Bakker and Willie Pater, after they fled their homes, which were empty when searched.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Arrest warrants for Enschede owners|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/754733.stm|publisher = BBC News|date = 2000-05-19|access-date = 2015-06-13|archive-date = 23 May 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240523004118/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/754733.stm|url-status = live}}</ref> Pater handed himself in on the same day, and Bakker the day after.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Dutch fireworks owner under custody|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/755881.stm|publisher = BBC News|date = 2000-05-19|access-date = 2015-06-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Dutch police quiz fireworks factory owners|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/755868.stm|publisher = BBC News |date = 2000-05-20|access-date = 2015-06-13}}</ref>

In April 2002, the owners were sentenced to six months' imprisonment each for violation of environmental and safety regulations and dealing in illegal fireworks alongside a fine of €2,250 each. However, they were both acquitted of the more serious charges of [[negligence]] for the fire.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Dutch fireworks blast bosses sentenced|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1907090.stm|publisher = BBC News|date = 2002-04-02|access-date = 2015-06-13|archive-date = 16 February 2004|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040216235231/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1907090.stm|url-status = live}}</ref>

In May 2003, Arnhem Appeals Court [[acquit]]ted 36-year-old André de Vries of [[arson]]. Almelo Court had originally (May 2002) tried and convicted De Vries of arson and sentenced him to 15 years [[imprisonment]].<ref name="expatica.com">[http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/local_news/enschede-remembers-deadly-fireworks-disaster-7519.html Expatica.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003052253/http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/local_news/enschede-remembers-deadly-fireworks-disaster-7519.html |date=3 October 2012 }}, accessdate 17 April 2009</ref>

In February 2005, after a four-and-a-half-year legal battle, the six-month sentence of each of the owners was increased to twelve months each.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Fireworks directors jailed for fatal explosion {{!}} Dutch News {{!}} Expatica the Netherlands|url = http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/country-news/Fireworks-directors-jailed-for-fatal-explosion_126119.html|website = expatica.com|access-date = 2015-06-13|date = 1 February 2005|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150616065350/http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/country-news/Fireworks-directors-jailed-for-fatal-explosion_126119.html|archive-date = 2015-06-16|url-status = dead}}</ref>

A total of €8.5m in compensation was awarded to the victims of the explosion, according to the organisation in charge of distributing the compensation, the UPV, having assessed 3,519 claims.  Three hundred people received cash for incurring extra costs, 136 people received money for loss of income, and 1,477 people received compensation for health problems.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/09/85m_paid_to_enschede_firework.php |title=Dutchnews.nl |publisher=Dutchnews.nl |date=2007-09-19 |access-date=2014-07-09 |archive-date=17 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517192752/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/09/85m_paid_to_enschede_firework.php |url-status=live }}</ref>