TESTIMONY. “We are very afraid to come back and live here”, two years after the deadly fire in Vaulx-en-Velin, the trauma of the victims remains raw

On the night of December 15 to 16, 2022, a terrible fire broke out in the middle of the night in Vaulx-en-Velin, in the Mas du Taureau sector. Ten people died, including four children. Today, the victims are finding it difficult to turn the page. Some are still waiting for lasting rehousing.

“We are still waiting for rehousing. We are still not in a sustainable situation,” explains Anissa, one of the victims of 12 chemin des barques. A new home to be able to turn the page and move on. Putting distance from the terrible night of December 15 to 16, 2022. The fire surprised the occupants of the building in their sleep and cost the lives of ten people, including four children. Anissa and her family escaped death, but the trauma is far from over.

In the alley, it still floats“smell of fire”according to Anissa’s husband. Smells which awaken the wounds of these former occupants of 12 chemin des barques. “We are very afraid to come back and live here. However, this is the advice we are given. This is the last proposal they make to us: it is to come and return to the apartment at 12 chemin des Barques, in which we almost perished by fire. Me, my husband and my four children I can’t imagine it terrifies me. assures Vaudaise.

The family, who lived on the 4th floor, survived thanks to the intervention of the firefighters. For this resident of Vaulx-en-Velin, time has erased nothing. Emotions resurface in front of the building.

When you look death in the face, it scars you for life. Two years is not enough time to forget.

Anissa

Victim of 12 chemin des barques

“When we enter the building, when we enter the apartment, it’s anguish, images that come back. It’s something very hard. Apparently, not everyone understands it. Many of our elected officials think that it’s in the past, that it’s now forgotten, that it’s over now, and that’s not true. Nobody can understand what we went through and what we were able to do. to feel,” insists Anissa.

After the disaster, Anissa and his relatives were relocated to an apartment in Vaulx-en-Velin. Temporary. Today, the family must leave the premises. “Madame the Mayor invites us to return to the T2 in which I lived with four children“, she explains. This mother of four children categorically refuses. The town hall’s proposal scandalizes and revolts her. She does not for a second consider returning to live at 12 chemin des barques. The shock is too much big.

This last proposition: returning to 12 chemin des Barques, with four children, is worse than anything.

Anissa

Victim of 12 chemin des barques

“The trauma we experienced there is terrible. I couldn’t believe for a second that at some point we would be asked to come back and live here. I couldn’t believe it and yet, it is the case. This is what we are asked to do.”she explains. Especially since the accommodation she would have to return to is too small for this large family.

“We are at ground zero because we made the mistake of refusing housing proposals,” explains the mother. Why did this family refuse these apartment offers outside Vaulx-en-Velin? Anissa responds simply: “It was very complicated to change environment, to move to other benchmarks. Perhaps we were not ready. Our children at school in Vaulx-en-Velin needed stability. There are valid reasons which can justify the refusals of proposals which have been made to us everywhere else”.

For Laetitia Berriguiga, the drama was not treated as a collective drama. “We cannot make ourselves heard by the institutions”, she laments. Approaches to the government, the prefecture or the interministerial delegate for victim assistance which remained in vain. She denounces a form of amnesia on the part of public authorities.

Today we have the impression that no tragedy took place: no deaths, no fire. Today, in our lives, there is no recognition (…) At the level of justice, of the State, we lead our lives as if nothing had happened. Nothing has changed. The 10 dead and the 89 survivors do not count.

Laetitia Berriguiga

President of the Association of Victims of Chemin des Barques

Of the 21 families who occupied the building affected by the flames, 19 found new accommodation. Rehousing “by default” or “out of spite”according to the president of the victims’ association. But two families are currently without a solution.

This is the case of Anissa’s family and another large family with five children. Two files at an impasse. “Today, we were not received by anyone and we were not heard by anyone. Our efforts went unanswered, which is our great regret,” explains Laetitia Berriguiga. The association requires “the least” to be received by the prefecture. For its part, the Vaulx-en-Velin town hall believes that everything has been done to help the victims.

As for the investigation, currently under investigation, it seems to be stalling. No suspects have been identified.