they got married on the day of the fire at the town hall of Flers

Planned for more than a year, the wedding of Sezgin Altun and Kübra Bilici (her maiden name) was to take place on November 9, 2019 at the town hall of Flers, in Orne at 2 p.m. However, the building is engulfed in flames. « It was 10 a.m., I was getting ready. Friends warn me that the town hall is burning. I was surprised, I didn't really understand. I called my father who is president of the Franco-Turkish association, he didn't know either. I was afraid everything would be canceled », retrace Kübra Altun.

Read also: “Do the best, inform”: How Ouest-France handled the fire at the Flers town hall?

More than fifty guests

Selcuk Bilici, his father, contacted Yves Goasdoué, the mayor of Flers, to find out more and see if it was possible to maintain the ceremony. « When I heard that the town hall was burning, I said to myself it was a small thing. It couldn't have been a big fire. Seeing the fire on social networks, we wondered if the marriage was going to happen , he remembers. « Then, the mayor told my wife's father that despite this bad day, he wanted a great event, that November 9 does not remain just a sad date », ajoute Sezgin Altun.

The ceremony is finally maintained. In the rain, more than fifty guests went to the town hall. The fire has only been under control for a few hours. The firefighters are still on site, the place is secure but impossible to access. « At the moment, we are a little emotional. The town hall has been there for years and years. Mr. Goasdoué also boosted our morale. He told us “life goes on”. We thank him », continues Sezgin Altun. The wedding takes place at 2 p.m., a few meters from the destroyed building, in the council room of the castle, but in the dark. Because of the fire, there is no more electricity.

Every year on November 9, when celebrating another year of marriage, the couple thinks of the building. « We don't forget at all! Whenever we talk about our wedding we say it was the day the town hall burned down. What we would like now is for the new town hall to reopen on November 9 to complete the loop », Sezgin Altun projects. Five years later, this particular ceremony has not tainted the couple's marriage.