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Maxima Latvia CEO, Gintaras Jasinskas, has lost his job over controversial comments he made after the collapse of a supermarket in Riga.

Gintaras Jasinskas sparked anger by saying: “It is those who feel guilty who resign.”

His remarks came after he was asked whether any company executives would follow PM Valdis Dombrovskis’ lead and step down.

At least 54 people died when the Maxima supermarket collapsed last Thursday.

Asked about the disaster, Gintaras Jasinskas said he felt “responsible, but not guilty”, adding that he could “look people in the eyes”.

Maxima, which has its headquarters in neighboring Lithuania, operates supermarkets in all three Baltic states.

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said on Twitter: “Most shocking and arrogant statement by Maxima Latvia CEO refusing to assume any responsibility for [the] tragedy…”

The foreign ministry summoned Lithuania’s ambassador Ricardas Degutis to demand an explanation, according to local media.

Mindaugas Bagdonavicius, Lithuanian chief executive of the Maxima Group, later announced Gintaras Jasinskas had been sacked over Thursday’s remarks.

Maxima Latvia CEO has lost his job over controversial comments he made after the collapse of a supermarket in Riga

Maxima Latvia CEO has lost his job over controversial comments he made after the collapse of a supermarket in Riga

“Shareholders have decided to dismiss from his position the chairman of Maxima Latvija Gintaras Jasinskas for his unacceptably expressed opinion at this painful and difficult time for Latvia’s nation,” Reuters quoted Mindaugas Bagdonavicius assaying.

The Latvian prime minister announced his resignation – and thereby the fall of his government – on Wednesday.

“Considering the tragedy and all related circumstances… a new government is needed that has the clear support of parliament,” Valdis Dombrovskis said.

Latvian President Andris Berzins earlier described the disaster as “murder” and called for foreign experts to investigate what had happened.

He was quoted by Baltic news agency Delfi as saying: “I call on all who look to the future to assess their responsibility and act accordingly.”

Andris Berzins is now considering appointing a new government. Elections are not scheduled until October next year.

The collapse was the biggest loss of life since Latvia became independent from the USSR in 1991.

Latvian police have opened a criminal investigation into the cause of Maxima disaster.

Structural experts have suggested that the supermarket building itself may have been badly designed and so not able to support a garden that was being built on the roof.

Substandard construction materials and corruption are other possible lines of inquiry.

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According to Latvian officials, at least 32 people have died after the roof of a Maxima supermarket collapsed in the capital Riga.

Rescue efforts continued through the night and police have launched a criminal investigation.

Three of those killed were emergency workers who were helping people trapped when more of the roof came down.

The number of deaths makes this the former Soviet republic’s worst disaster since independence in 1991, Latvia’s main news agency says.

It is unclear how many more people could still be inside.

The cause of the collapse is unclear although reports say a garden was being constructed on the roof at the time.

The supermarket, which opened in 2011, is part of the Maxima retail chain.

“The police have started the investigation already,” said PM Valdis Dombrovskis after visiting the scene.

At least 32 people have died after the roof of a Maxima supermarket collapsed in Riga

At least 32 people have died after the roof of a Maxima supermarket collapsed in Riga

“The criminal process has started about violating building standards.”

Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis told Latvian TV it was “clear” there had been a problem meeting building regulations.

TV footage showed rescue workers using mechanical cutters to clear debris from the single-storey concrete and glass building. Cranes were brought in to remove slabs of concrete.

More than 60 soldiers were helping the rescue effort, the army said on its official Twitter feed.

The initial collapse happened just before 18:00 local time on Thursday, when the store was busy with customers.

Walls and windows also crumbled, leaving the shell of the building piled with rubble, witnesses said.

About 20 minutes later another part of the roof caved in, trapping rescue workers who were trying to reach survivors.

The rescue services believe a total of about 500sq m (5,300sq ft) of roof caved in, according to reports.

Witnesses said customers tried to run out after the first part of the roof collapsed but the supermarket’s electronic doors closed, trapping them inside.

LETA news agency said the collapse represented the largest loss of life from a disaster since the restoration of independence in 1990, worse than a fire at a nursing home in 2007 that killed 25.

Normunds Plegermanis, deputy head of rescue services, said emergency teams faced difficult conditions at the supermarket.

“Falls are happening from time to time… it is very dangerous to work inside,” he said.

Local media said the building had been awarded a national architecture prize when it was completed in 2011.

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