the essential
Three people were trapped under the rubble of their house this Thursday morning in Saint-Gaudens. Firefighters have been responding to a spectacular explosion.
The explosion is impressive. The house located in Salies-du-Salat, in Comminges, is completely destroyed. Dozens of firefighters have been mobilized since Thursday morning to evacuate the injured and secure the area. Here's what we know.
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An explosion in the early morning
This Thursday at dawn, a strong explosion shook a usually peaceful street in the town. “It made everything shake. With another neighbor, a former volunteer firefighter, we quickly intervened. One of the victims was able to speak to the emergency services by telephone. She had shards of glass on her face,” confides a local resident.
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Firefighters intervene in large numbers
Emergency services were alerted to a spectacular collapse. They quickly understood that the two residents and their daughter were all trapped under the rubble. The Saint-Gaudens gendarmerie company also came to the site. In total, 51 firefighters intervened, including a rescue and search unit and ambulances.
Three people were pulled out of the rubble, according to our information. “They were trapped. One of them is in absolute emergency, another was transported to Saint-Gaudens.” A 72-year-old man suffered serious facial burns, his 68-year-old wife and his 36-year-old daughter were slightly injured. A priori, no one else was impacted.
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The cause of the collapse remains unknown but…
According to Commander Wilfried Abo, head of the Saint-Gaudens fire and rescue center, the origin of the collapse remains unknown. However, neighbors say they smelled a strong smell of gas. The gendarmerie, responsible for the investigations, does not rule out the possibility of a gas leak. Verifications continue.
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Gas bag search
“We are looking for the possible presence of an underground gas pocket. We are also checking the condition of neighboring buildings. For the moment, the residents have been evacuated,” explains the firefighter who is in charge of the operations. This operation could take several hours.
