Clermont-Ferrand: three dead in building fire, 21-year-old suspect arrested
Three bodies were discovered in the ruins of a burning building in Clermont-Ferrand on Friday. A 21-year-old man is in police custody, with the criminal origin of the fire not being ruled out.
Three victims found in the debris
Three people died in the fire that ravaged a building in the town centre of Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) during the night of Thursday 8 to Friday 9 February, according to Actu17. Their bodies were discovered between Friday evening and Saturday morning, around 1 a.m., in the ruins of the five-storey building located in the Impasse Perrier, near Place de la Victoire. A fourth occupant of the building remains missing.
The fire broke out at around 3 a.m. on Friday. The roof and the stairwell were completely destroyed, and several floors collapsed. The narrow streets of the town centre considerably slowed down the firefighters' response, who fought the blaze throughout the day before securing the building with scaffolding.
A canine unit team arrived on site at around 6.30 p.m. A Malinois dog, lowered into the debris using a winch, quickly located two bodies. Forensic police officers spent several hours extracting them. A third body was discovered on Saturday morning by firefighter search teams.
The search resumed on Saturday morning with the intervention of the firefighters' rescue, support and search unit (USAR). The site, unstable and still presenting active fire sources, remains too dangerous to continue immediately. The identity of the victims had not yet been communicated on Saturday morning by the public prosecutor's office.
Criminal investigation opened
The Clermont-Ferrand public prosecutor's office stated that "initial findings by investigators suggest a possible criminal origin". A 21-year-old man was arrested on Friday morning and placed in police custody. An investigation has been opened. The fate of the fourth occupant of the building remains uncertain — it is unclear whether he was in his flat at the time of the fire.
The mayor of Clermont-Ferrand, Julien Bony, expressed on Saturday his "condolences to the families and relatives of the victims" and emphasised that "Clermont-Ferrand is in mourning", also extending his thoughts to the neighbours, residents and shopkeepers affected by the tragedy.
Source: Actu17