On the night of Sunday November 10 to Monday November 11, a fire broke out, around 4:30 a.m., in the heart of the Christmas village of Barcarès, a town of less than six thousand inhabitants in the Pyrénées-Orientales.
The alert was quickly given by the installation site protection services. Around sixty firefighters were then dispatched to the scene to fight the flames. Thanks to the intervention of the departmental fire and rescue service (SDIS 66), the fire was able to be fixed around 7 a.m. In total, seven wooden chalets, three metal boxes and four refrigerated trucks were destroyed by the flames. SDIS 66 indicates that “ the fire spread over an area of 3000 m² ».
Following this event, the opening of the Christmas village, initially scheduled for Saturday November 16, has been postponed. The town hall tells BV that it should finally open its doors on Saturday, November 23, “ depending on the progress of the investigation “. As a reminder, the Barcarès Christmas village is one of the largest in France. Each year, it welcomes nearly a million and a half visitors to the gardens of the Lydia, a world-famous ocean liner. In addition, this year it is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Considerable damage
Waiting for, ” a long work of clearing and cleaning is to be expected in order to secure the site and assess all the damage “. The Pyrénées-Orientales firefighters also specify: “ At this stage, the origin of the incident remains unknown and is the subject of investigations. » An investigation was opened and the technical services of the Gendarmerie were responsible for the first surveys on the site.
In all likelihood, the fire started following the explosion of two gas cylinders in the catering sector of the temporary installations. The reasons for the explosion are currently unknown. They must be determined by the investigators.
For its part, the municipality believes (limply) in the accident theory. On her site, she states that “ the causes of the fire are probably accidental “. Probably… The nuance is intriguing. She sows doubt.
Various avenues to explore
Given the number of damages affecting Catholic buildings and symbols, there is perhaps, in fact, reason to have doubts. After churches and cemeteries, have those who are after the Christian roots of France found a new target?
Regardless, this fire is extremely damaging for the locals, the economic players in the market and for all those who see in the event, beyond its commercial aspect, a way of putting Christmas back in the center of the village. The town hall concludes: “ It's dramatic what happened ».
Print, save this article as PDF
