This December 11, 2024, the church of Saints Francis is engulfed in flames. The fire broke out around 10 a.m. and since then, 80 firefighters have been trying to bring the situation under control. Midi Libre recovered the images of the disaster in progress from inside the building.
This Wednesday, since 10 a.m., the church of Saints Francis, located behind the train station in Montpellier, has been affected by a fire.
SDIS 34.
The attics are burning
Although the flames are far from attacking the entire building, the temperatures recorded at the attic level indicate that the fire is indeed present up there.
SDIS 34.
The fire started at the roof level, while waterproofing work was in progress, with welding carried out with a blowtorch.
SDIS 34.
A resident of a nearby printing house alerted the parish priest, present in a room located opposite the scene of the disaster, with two other people. Smoke was visible from outside.
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The town hall services undertook to evacuate the statue of the Virgin Mary, sculpted in marble and weighing 500 kg, from the religious building. She will be transported to the Saint-François d’Assise college located nearby.
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SDIS 34.
Thanks to the drone and its thermal camera, we learned that the battens of the Saints-François church, under the roof, were on fire with temperatures between 108 and 160 degrees. #Montpellier pic.twitter.com/TvFaHT340S
— Midi Libre Montpellier (@MLMontpellier)
What is a convent fire?
The national metrology and testing laboratory LNE defines smoldering fire as “a slow combustion process, without flame or emission of light”.
Thus, a fire can last for hours without being obvious. It can be triggered by “a heat source too weak to ignite flames” but sufficient for fuels to burn, producing heat and smoke.
But the heat is there. This is demonstrated by the images captured by the thermal cameras of the Hérault firefighters this morning.
Intervention still in progress
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80 firefighters are mobilized on site. There are two fire groups, including two large pivoting ladders.
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A drone was also used, as well as a robot similar to those used during the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris. Around ten people were evacuated from the adjoining residence, rue des Aiguerelles. Traffic was closed on Boulevard de Strasbourg.
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The intervention is delicate. The firefighters tried to intervene by cutting the zinc roof in order to reach the wooden beams which were burning below. The fire is described as “convent” by firefighters. Under the roof, it is between 108 and 160 degrees.
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