A tragedy with serious human and legal consequences. The fire that occurred on the night of December 2 to 3 in a squatted building in Caluire-et-Cuire caused the death of one person, seriously injured two others and put around fifty occupants on the street. At the heart of the controversy: the possible responsibility of the Metropolis and town hall of Lyon and their policy deemed too permissive towards squats.
A report from the SDMIS (Departmental-Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Service) dated November 17, 2023 already highlighted the danger of this building, owned by the City of Lyon: precarious electrical installations, missing staircases, and high risk of propagation in the event of fire. Despite these warnings, no danger order has been issued by the Lyon town hall, contrary to the requests of the mayor of Caluire, Philippe Cochet, who had issued a residential ban order overturned by the administrative court.
For the opposition, this inaction constitutes a serious mistake. “The mayor of Lyon had chosen not to request the evacuation of this squat and no danger order was issued. The criminal liability of the mayor is therefore engaged here”accuses the Right, Center & Independents group, chaired by Pierre Oliver (mayor of the 2nd) denouncing a “hypocritical policy of hospitality”.
The SDMIS report, sent to the Metropolis and the City of Lyon, nevertheless pointed to significant dangers, although considered insufficient to declare an imminent danger. The City had still initiated legal proceedings to request the eviction, but mediation was decided and accepted by both parties. This mediation made it possible to “earn” three months – the deadline within which it was supposed to be completed – but the tragedy took place in the meantime.
Voices are also being raised against the Intersquat 69 collective, behind the installation of the occupants, which could also be worried for having exposed these people to dangerous living conditions. In fact, this type of collective regularly encourages vulnerable people to invest in buildings without taking into account the dangers they present. “A real influence is taking hold”, observes a source close to the matter, referring to strict internal management of these collectives. Intersquat 69 was also present during the evacuation of the gymnasium made available urgently after the fire, illustrating their active role and their influence on the squatters.
If the responsibility of the pro-squat collectives is clearly called into question for their role in the installation of the occupiers, the communities are not left out. The question of whether the City of Lyon or the Metropolis could have acted more quickly remains at the heart of the debate.
The open investigation will have to establish responsibilities in this tragedy. If these squatters had found themselves here after the evacuation of the “Pyramide squat” in the 7th arrondissement, their reception in such a degraded building raises questions. The City of Lyon remained very evasive in its statements. It nevertheless recognizes in its press release that this building had been occupied since October 2023, while expressing its “solidarity with the victims and their loved ones before adding, we are not aware of the circumstances of the incident.”
