Grosse fright Tuesday afternoon, in the heart of the Chartreux district. Around 4:30 p.m., a fire, of unknown origin, broke out in an apartment on the ground floor of building 73 on avenue des Lombards, opposite the postal agency and the antenna of the national police.
A baby evacuated through the window
The fire ravaged the house and generated toxic fumes which quickly invaded the stairwell and the apartments of the four-story building. This smoke caused scenes of panic and revealed heroic gestures. According to witnesses present on site, among the hundreds of people gathered in the neighborhood, several residents climbed the facade of the building to help a family on the second floor. “ They formed a chain and passed around a baby. It was risky but they managed to get him down. They were also able to bring down a woman, probably her mother », Confirmed a member of the police on Tuesday.
« Several young people from the neighborhood shouted to warn residents of the danger. They saved lives. We must salute them! », reported a resident of the tower located opposite the burned apartment. Trapped, a tenant jumped directly from the second floor to escape the fumes.
“We thought we were going to die. We were stuck at home”
Injured, he was placed on a stretcher by emergency services. Some residents placed mattresses on the ground to try to break the fall of those who imitated him: “ I was in my room, I heard the neighbors screaming. I looked outside, I saw lots of smoke”testified Tuesday a young resident of the building, his face still blackened by the smoke. “ I called my parents to evacuate, but there was lots of smoke in the stairwell. We couldn't go out, it was hell. We waited for help to come. We thought we were going to die. We were stuck in our house, there was no escape except the windows. I was evacuated by the large fire ladder. There was no more air in my lungs, I felt like my throat was drying out ».
Evacuation hood
28 firefighters were dispatched to the site, supported by national and municipal police officers. Their rapid action made it possible to prevent the flames from spreading to the stairwell but also to evacuate the tenants by equipping them with an oxygenated hood to pass through the toxic fumes.
The firemen came out of the building with young children in their arms: “ This is the particularity of this fire. Several children were present in the building. Several were inconvenienced by the smoke but none are in serious condition according to emergency services. “, underlined Tuesday Frédéric Serra, deputy mayor of Troyes and elected official this week, who evokes a ” widespread panic ».
In total, nearly 15 people were poisoned. Five were transported to the nearby hospital center by firefighters and Samu.
Efficient services
The other residents who were inconvenienced or simply evacuated from the building were taken care of by the services of the City of Troyes, experienced in this type of intervention and efficient. They were transferred aboard TCAT minibuses to the neighboring community center. On site, municipal agents, in particular social workers accompanied by Trojan elected officials, the mayor's chief of staff, the police, provided clothes, shoes, food to the families, very often of foreign origin and speaking hardly French. With the help of Troyes Aube Habitat, a social landlord, the tenants were directed to two hotels in the Troyes area to spend the night.
Before leaving the neighborhood, several victims asked the firefighters to collect belongings from their homes. In particular infant milk and pacifiers.
