what we know about the violent fire in Besançon Temis

A fire releasing an immense plume of black smoke broke out this Sunday, May 5, 2024 shortly before 8 p.m. in Besançon (Doubs) rue Alain Savary. Here’s what we know about this powerful and fast-moving fire.

Firefighters were called at 7:40 p.m. The fire broke out in the economic and industrial zone of Témis. A violent fire, a real flare as reported in this video posted by a witness.

In just a few minutes, the fire ravaged an office building which was being deconstructed.

Emergency services arrived quickly, but found the building completely engulfed in flames. It is a building which was in the process of being deconstructed, a wooden frame building which explains the significant calorific potential.

Stéphane Beaudoux

Director of Doubs fire and rescue services

44 firefighters and 15 engines were engaged to fight the blaze and preserve nearby buildings. The heat of the flames caused windows to shatter at a nearby bank, a notary office and France Travail.

At this time, the origin of the fire, which broke out late on a Sunday, has not been determined.

The fire started right in front of the Claude Nicolas Ledoux high school. The firefighters and police established an area to keep away the curious, many of whom came to see what was happening. Enedis teams were also deployed in the field.

The mayor of Besançon Anne Vignot is on site to take stock of the situation. The building being deconstructed belonged to the Aktya company (corporate real estate) of which she is president.

Around 8 p.m., the fire was visible from the entire Besançon area. An image taken on the heights of Besançon.

The firefighters will leave the site under surveillance for the next few hours and will employ cinema-technical resources as soon as possible to check that no one was in the building when the fire started.

With our journalists on site, Emilien Diaz, Florence Petit, Johanna Albrecht, Eric Debief.