surveillance maintained throughout the night

18 h 15. The afternoon focused on securing the cellar for the firefighters. They brought in specialist rescue and clearance teams. In the cellars, where the fire started, they reconstructed a floor to allow the firemen to progress safely throughout the basement of the building.

“We were able to treat residual outbreaks very effectively. We continued monitoring on the upper floors and accompanying evacuees home to collect personal items. We maintain a system of around twenty firefighters,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Gaël Zimmer.

Grateful residents and traders

Extinguishing all the fires is still in progress, even if the fire is contained. “For the staff, the work is grueling in the basement, since they worked, with breathing apparatus, cutting and assembling the boards. »

Unanimously, residents and merchants paid tribute to the mobilized firefighters, to salute their professionalism and courage.

Next goal? Communicate officially about a completely extinguished fire.

16 h 30. In terms of securing the damaged building, the municipality of Metz commissioned an expert to assess the solidity of the building. “ As soon as the firefighters give us the green light and the perimeter is secure, he will come and assess the solidity of the buildings. We will set up a security perimeter all around the building, rue Au Blé and rue du Palais », Explains Hervé Niel, deputy mayor in charge of security and public peace.

An order will also be published concerning the ban on returning to the building. “This decree will be subject to assessments on a case-by-case basis. We will only allow people to return there with the assistance of the firefighters, in very specific settings. We are also considering the possibility of an access corridor to get to the Caméo, if the experts authorize it. »

15 h. The Hisler bookstore and luthier Bertrand Didier were affected by the fire. The two institutional brands in Metz were hit by the violence of this fire which will inevitably shake up their future: the Hisler bookstore located on rue Ambroise-Thomas and the luthier on rue du Palais, belonging to Bertrand Didier. “My relief is mainly that no casualties have been reported. I receive a lot of support from friends, business neighbors, customers, and this is what recharges the batteries to face future difficulties. The town hall is also present at our side. Fortunately, our store was not impacted by the fire. Fears are oriented towards the unknown of the journey that awaits us in the days, weeks, even months to come,” he said.

A heritage to save

“This company was created in 1936 by my grandfather, Paul. It's a whole heritage of experience and know-how that will have to be saved, but given the damage to the building, certainly in another location. For now, we have to put in place personnel management, disaster management with our insurance company, and each day will have its share of surprises. A thought to the Hisler family, who are the most impacted by this disaster,” testified the luthier. He also presents his thanks to the firefighters, who worked to protect the stocks by installing tarpaulins.

12 h 30. The fire is still not contained. Firefighters are still working in the cellars and will remain so all day. “We will also maintain night surveillance,” says Lieutenant-Colonel Gaël Zimmer. “We are in a special situation, with very large cellars and wooden mezzanines on two levels. It’s a technical and complex operation.”

Two firefighters were injured, one in the thumb during a rescue operation, the other suffered first degree burns while going down into a cellar. “The two wanted to continue their mission, they were taken into account by a medical team. We had a very strong commitment, with nearly 120 firefighters at peak who were very involved. » On the residents' side, three people were treated for smoke inhalation.

11 h 30. Rue du Palais is once again accessible to pedestrians, who can cross to reach Place de Chambre.

11 h 20. Behind the security perimeter set up by the firefighters, Lise and her partner came this Monday morning with their loved ones and two empty suitcases to try to recover some belongings. “We learned that a few neighbors were able to recover some yesterday, the firefighters told us that they were going to try to collect them and put them in garbage bags. » Their apartment is located at 3^th floor of 1, rue aux Blés.

“It was our smoke detector that woke us up, it was 4 a.m., there was a strong smell of smoke in the room. I opened it to look and there was a wave of smoke coming into the room,” says Lise, 25 years old. She was lowered by the firefighters through the stairwell, hood over her face, while her partner was evacuated by the ladder “with the cat on his back”.

The couple relocated with their parents

Lise had to be taken care of by the firefighters, having inhaled smoke. “Then I still had headaches. I had to return to the Strasbourg hospital, where they have a hyperbaric chamber to remove carbon monoxide. » She left the hospital on Sunday evening and, as of Monday morning, the couple was able to recover some papers and clothes from their home thanks to the firefighters. The couple was able to be accommodated by their parents, but they do not know what condition the apartment is in. “We see traces of black smoke on our windows,” they point out.

9 h 30. Lieutenant-Colonel Zimmer in charge of operations for the Moselle Departmental Fire and Rescue Service provided a situation update on this particularly difficult fire to contain. At night, 40 firefighters were mobilized. The situation is stable but the fire is not considered to be out. A replacement arrived this Monday morning, also 40 fire soldiers who will be able to continue to act on several fronts: “We are going to pump the water and foam spilled into the cellars where the fire started, to be able to once again hire staff. » It is a question of accessing and completely exploring this tortuous labyrinth, reaching possible residual hearths in the corners of the cellars. On the surface, the firefighters will begin a long work aimed at clearing the beams and consumed elements. The City of Metz provides a dumpster. The morning rain and the ambient humidity do not make the firefighters' work easier. The frame of the building collapsed on the 4th floor, which became inaccessible. Six apartments on rue du Palais suffered the most damage, and remain out of use.

The bookstore Hisler is closed. The firefighters preserved the interior of the store as much as possible by covering the stalls and sheltering the computer equipment.