No, it wasn’t an exercise. Wednesday April 17, 2024, an alarm sounded in the Chanzy high school in Charleville-Mézières. The reason ? The potential presence of a bomb in one of the establishment’s buildings.
Marie-Josée, reception manager, was at her post when a anonymous call was passed a little before 1:30 p.m.: “ My colleague from the dressing room told me that someone had called him saying that he had planted a bomb in a building. From there, I ran to the alarm to activate it. »
350 students evacuated
Next to 350 students are then quickly evacuated from their classroom. “ I was in SVT classexplains a student. We were first asked to reach a rallying point, before being taken out of the school. Our things are all in the classrooms, we didn’t have time to collect them. » Because very quickly, the Charleville-Mézières firefighters, the national police and the anti-crime brigade (BAC) arrived to carry out evacuation and canvassed the area.
The hail also arrived, forcing the students to take refuge in the weapons room (fencing) Michel-Guilley, located two streets from Chanzy high school. Sitting and worried, they waited a long time for news.
We are well trained in this type of exercise, but this is the first time we have had to leave high school completely.
“ We would still like to know more, assures Orlane, a final year student. We are well trained in this type of exercisebut this is the first time we’ve had to leave high school completely. » A 17-year-old student was evacuated by firefighters to the Charleville-Mézières hospital center following an anxiety attack.
Panicked parents
The students are not the only ones panicking, the parents too. Some learn the news from their children, others from social networks, and decide to come and get them. Students released under discharge for those who still had classes.
“ He told me by message: ”Mom, we’re leaving school, there’s a bomb threat”, confirms a student’s mother. I’m going to get it back whatever happens, even if there’s still class, I wouldn’t have been calm. I hope whoever made this fake bomb threat is punished. » A mother joins her: “ Yes, he must be punished. I was afraid for my daughter, I came quickly. This “joke” deserves punishment. »
Minesweepers on site
Around 2:45 p.m., the deminers, came from Châlons-en-Champagne, arrive on site while in the fencing room, the teachers try as best they can to maintain calm in the face of more or less panicked students. “ When there were alerts like this before, we always said to ourselves that it was either an exercise or a false alarm », Says Romain, resident of Rocroi, who was in the duty room when the alarm sounded.
It was when I saw the police that I told myself that this was not a simple fire drill.
“ It was when I saw the police that I told myself that this was not a simple fire drill. », Confides Nathan, a final year student, before adding: “ I’m at boarding school, so in any case, I have to wait for the alert to be lifted, it will take as long as it takes. »
Around 4 p.m.hearts calm down: “ You can get up and collect your things from classes », Announces a professor. The bomb disposal team has just cleared the doubt and found no trace of explosives. “ Classes are suspended for today », Announces the teaching team. Students were able to return home quickly after the alert was lifted.
