On the night of Wednesday 6 to Thursday 7 November 2024, a fire struck the Retritout recycling plant in Mellac, near Quimperlé, in Finistère, upsetting both the employees and volunteers of the structure, as well as all the residents of the town. . To bounce back, the association has launched a solidarity fund and is looking for new premises.
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“There at the back, we can see a few books. Just behind the sign was the pan stock.” Behind the security barriers installed around what remains of the recycling center, with a heavy heart, Maryse, a volunteer for three years with Retritout, describes what remains after the devastating fire.
Sheet metal blackened by fire, a collapsed roof, smoking debris, the 1000 m² of the reserve and the Mellac recycling store were largely destroyed by a fire during the night from Wednesday to Thursday.
Read on the subject: In Péaule in Morbihan, a recycling plant revitalizes the village
The entire stock of the resource center went up in smoke. Part of the store appears to have been spared by the flames. A shock for the volunteers and employees who lost their work tools. “It’s hard to digest.” says Malou, a volunteer. Nat, one of the structure’s seven employees, shares the same feeling. “I came during the night. I saw it burn and there, I see it during the day, it’s impressive“.
On its Facebook page, the recycling center informs of a closure until an indefinite date.
The fire appears to have been of accidental origin. But nothing suggested such a catastrophe. “I have the images from the day before last night where it was intact when we left and there was nothing left.“, book Maryse. “I had retired for three years and it had become our second home. So yes it hurts me, but we’re going to leave.”
The priority for the twenty volunteers and the seven employees is to find a hangar to replace the one they were renting. “We have the motivation“, says Tanguy, employee of the recycling plant. “Afterwards, it’s time to find a place, that’s not what’s most common in the area right now..”
The association will also have to replenish its stock, but that is not really a problem according to Kat. She is a salaried recycling coordinator. “We had three tonnes of items to bring in on average per week. And just in electro or small household appliances, we were at 10 tonnes over three months. So, in terms of donations, there are sufficient resources. We don’t have any problems.”
Retritout has decided to launch an online solidarity fund on “helloasso” to bounce back as quickly as possible and maintain the remuneration of its employees.
The members of the association are also launching a call to find new premises. “We are also studying all proposals for available premises to resume our activity..” To bounce back, the whole team can also count on the support of residents and customers. Since the fire, the team has received numerous messages, particularly on social networks.
(With Claire Louet)
