a woman in absolute emergency after a fire in a building

Firefighters saved three people on Sunday October 27 at 2^e et 3^e floors of a building located at 8, rue du 125^e-Infantry-Regiment. Without their intervention, the toll could have been much heavier. It is already significant: eight victims are to be deplored after the fire which broke out in Poitiers, in the Blossac district.

“Everyone was shouting on the stairs that we had to get out”

A resident was evacuated to the CHU in absolute emergency. In the afternoon, she was admitted to intensive care where she regained consciousness. Three other residents of this housing building managed by Ekidom were also hospitalized in relative emergency, including the occupant of the apartment where the fire allegedly started. Finally, four other people were treated on site by emergency services, disturbed by the smoke.

All the tenants present had to be evacuated on Sunday morning and were only able to return to their homes in the afternoon.

Forty-five firefighters and nine engines were mobilized to this disaster, which was quickly brought under control and the cause of which has not yet been identified. Samu, national and municipal police were also present on site.

The police were able to enter the damaged apartment during the day, particularly in the main room, where the fire apparently started. There is no evidence to suggest that a person outside the accommodation may have been present and the investigation therefore did not go beyond the usual findings. The Poitiers public prosecutor's office will now have to decide what action to take.

An elderly lady who lived alone

It was a resident, who went out to get the croissants, who saw the smoke escaping from the 2^e floor, around 8 a.m. He contacted the emergency services before breaking down the door of the apartment concerned. During this time, public highway surveillance officers present in the area knocked on doors to warn other occupants.

The building, located at number 8 of the street, has on this side of its courtyard, three floors (one of which is in the converted attic), each with four apartments.

“Someone rang the intercom but I didn't answer believing it was a prank, that's when I smelled the smell, says Sophie, tenant of the top floor, when I opened the door, I saw the smoke and I understood, everyone was shouting on the stairs that we had to get out. »

Aurore, on the first floor, was alerted by “a big boom”a priori the door of the burning apartment which was broken down. Another tenant on the first floor saw smoke through her window and smelled a strong odor, just before there was a knock on her door.

Many people know the lady who lives alone in the apartment where the fire apparently started. An elderly woman who is independent but « fragile » that some have already helped, in particular to organize their shopping. “He would sometimes fall down the stairs. »

“I just had time to grab my phone and my dog”

Several tenants were surprised not to have heard the smoke detectors go off in the building, in the common areas and in certain apartments.

“At my house, it went off when I opened the door and smoke rushed in”says this tenant of 2^e floor, which hosted a friend for the holidays. They were both waiting on a bench at 10:30 a.m., under a survival blanket, still in slippers, to find out when they could return to the accommodation, at least to close it. “I just had time to grab my phone and my dog ​​and I yelled to my friend that we had to go out. »

“I have always been afraid of a fire here, on the top floor, there is no emergency exit, we are made like rats, adds Sophie, who has lived there for thirty years. Not much is up to standard I think, it's outdated and no matter how much we ask for them, nothing is done, we are not listened to. I have water infiltration and I repaired electrical outlets myself. We do what we can. »

The tenant on the third floor was worried about her neighbor Annick, this Sunday morning, who was evacuated by Samu to the hospital. “Fortunately we are united here, we are lucky to all get along well…”