The agenda of the Ministry of Sports was shaken up from early in the morning. Gil Avérous left Paris in a hurry to go to Saint-Jean, late in the afternoon, Tuesday December 17, 2024. “It was important to be with the traders, it’s an entire life that is destroyed and it’s an essential service,” explains the city mayor.
In a visit where he was first guided by the firefighters, the mayor learned about the damage to the shopping center. “For me, it’s not about the money that I think about, it’s about my customers, they’re almost a family! “, explained Rachid El Ouatiq, owner of the Sitis supermarket. Under the force of the fire, the fire spread from its sales space located at street level to the garden level below. In the afternoon, the firefighters redeployed an aerial hose to drown the remaining hot spots.
“We are not safe from deviant behavior”
While protective barriers were put in place at the time of Gil Avérous’s visit, only the police can now access the compound. A joint referral from the investigation department of the Châteauroux police station and the Orléans PJ was initiated by the public prosecutor. The criminal trail is confirmed for the fire. There is persistent information reporting video surveillance where people with cans were filmed. Facts which are not confirmed by the Châteauroux public prosecutor’s office. The index readings will continue over the coming days.
Gil Avérous refuses to establish a link with the shooting of June 2024, where a 24-year-old man was killed. “When we find the perpetrators, we will ask them the reason for their actions, but the businesses say they have no problem. We are not safe from deviant behavior”affirms Gil Avérous, on the context of this fire.
Barriers have been installed around the damaged stores; access is now reserved for the investigation services of the national police.
© (Photo NR, Thierry Roulliaud)
The mayor started filling his appointment book. “I will receive them one by one. » Starting with the owner of Sitis. “There will be at least three years between the investigation, the insurance reports, the second opinions…”anticipates the mayor, regarding the future of the building. On the reconstruction or new construction of the shopping center. “The timetable was distant, we were considering an operation in 2030, the fire will inevitably disrupt it. But we weren’t ready to do it. »
Firefighters remained mobilized until 5 p.m. around the commercial units damaged by the fire on the night of December 17.
© (Photo NR, Thierry Roulliaud)
For the near future of the supermarket, “it is up to him to ensure the relocation of his activity but we will support him”. One of the difficulties lies in the size of the business, more than 1,000 m2which was until then exploited. Late Tuesday afternoon, many people were still gathered around the charred store. “It’s still the neighborhood that is punished”notes a resident who goes there daily. A resonance with the administrative closure of the PMU bar which took place three weeks ago. His manager also asked to meet the mayor.
