On Sunday December 15, the Trois-Cités district in Poitiers was the scene of an arson attack, which left residents in shock. The affected building, managed by the social landlord Ekidom, was ravaged by flames at 6 a.m. The Poitiers public prosecutor's office confirmed the opening of a flagrant investigation to elucidate the circumstances of this tragedy.
According to France Bleu, the authorities report four separate fire outbreaks. Three came from burning trash cans, while the fourth ignited the lobby of a building on Rue du Commerce, near Place de France. The damage was not limited to the interior: six shopping carts and a scooter were also found burned near the building.
Considerable damage to the building
The fire, fueled by the building's exterior insulation, generated a column of flames which quickly engulfed all four floors of the building. The ground floor suffered the heaviest damage, being completely destroyed by the flames. Other homes were partially charred.
Faced with the seriousness of the incident, firefighters and law enforcement responded quickly. The Poitiers police are currently carrying out technical analyzes and a neighborhood investigation to identify the perpetrators of this criminal act.
One person hospitalized and rehousing in progress
Among the six injured people recorded, one person remained hospitalized this Sunday after being poisoned by smoke. The other victims were able to receive the necessary treatment on site.
While cleanup and damage assessment are underway, several residents have been able to return to their homes. However, those whose apartments are now uninhabitable must be urgently rehoused.
An ongoing investigation to find the culprits
The Poitiers police station is in charge of the investigations. The police are continuing technical analyzes and collecting testimonies as part of the neighborhood investigation. The objective is to quickly find the person(s) responsible for these fire outbreaks.
This tragedy once again underlines the importance of prevention and security measures in social housing areas. Residents of Trois-Cités hope that the authorities will shed light on this event and bring the culprits to justice.
