The disaster could be seen for miles around Valençay. Monday 1is July, around 1:30 p.m., a violent fire broke out in the supermarket located on rue de la République. “Since it was closing day, we went shopping. We were called 30 minutes later.”explains the supermarket manager.
Gas bottle explosion
The alarm was raised and the roof of the shop was already ablaze. Very quickly, a large number of emergency services arrived on the scene. In total, 51 firefighters from nine emergency centres and the general staff were mobilised. Around 2:30 pm, one of the gas bottles sold by the supermarket, which were stored between the shop front and the iron curtain, exploded. “Two firefighters were slightly injured by the heat and the blast. They were taken care of by the health service and were able to return to work.”explained the prefect, Thibault Lanxade, who went to the scene and joined his chief of staff at the fire brigade command post.
For more than three hours, a security perimeter was set up around the entire perimeter of the Valençay market halls, keeping the public at least 100 m away from the fire. There was still a risk of an additional explosion, as around ten gas cylinders were stored there. Given the layout of the premises, with old buildings nestled inside each other, the firefighters had to deploy two aerial resources, a large ladder and a lifting arm to contain the fire and a drone pilot was also mobilised to monitor the progress of the fire. It was only around 5:30 p.m. that the measures were slightly reduced.
The fire has considerably weakened the buildings with the destruction of all the frames: traffic will be prohibited on this section of the street.
© Photo NR, Aziliz Le Berre
Risk of facade collapse
The fire spread from the supermarket to an adjoining building on the corner of Place des Halles, on the ground floor of which there was a kebab shop. Both roofs were destroyed in the fire, while a third roof, adjoining the supermarket, was also affected. “The main thing is that there were no injuries, it’s material”commented the owner of the burning building, who rented the premises.
It was not until around 4:30 p.m. that the firefighters were able to bring the fire under control. However, the violence of the fire caused significant damage to the structures of the two buildings. The rescue and clearance service was called in to assess the risk to the structure. “The main thing, now that the fire is under control, is to protect the workers and the population”commented Commander Isabelle Kowalski, who led the firefighting teams.
The firefighters attacked the fire that was spreading through the upper floor of the kebab building with the long ladder.
© Photo NR, Aziliz Le Berre
The facade, on the Rue de la République side, as well as the wall of the supermarket, adjoining the residential building, presented risks of collapse. “As of this evening, we will issue an order to close the street to prohibit traffic.”explained Claude Doucet, the mayor, present all afternoon. The street will only remain open as far as the Place des Halles. Depending on the state of the buildings, the mayor may have to issue danger orders.
