Early Thursday morning, a deadly arson blaze in an apartment building in Nice, southern France, claimed the lives of seven people. Authorities are investigating the fire as a possible act of arson.
Among the victims were three children, aged 5, 7, and 10, as well as a 17-year-old who tragically tried to escape by jumping from a window. The family occupying the apartment is believed to have Comoran origins, coming from the island nation in southern Africa. Ten people were inside the apartment when the fire erupted.
Emergency services were alerted around 2:30 am to the fire on the seventh floor of a building located in Les Moulins, a low-income neighborhood in the western part of the city, notorious for drug-related activities. Despite the significant efforts and resources deployed, including 25 fire engines and 72 firefighters, seven people could not be saved.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin praised the quick response of the firefighters on social media, suggesting their rapid arrival likely prevented further casualties. Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli announced that an investigation into the cause of the fire had begun, considering it a possible criminal act. “Based on the initial evidence, I have opened an investigation into acts of arson leading to death,” Martinelli stated at the scene.
Authorities believe the blaze started on the second floor of the building and quickly spread to the upper floors. Three people were hospitalized due to the fire, with one person suffering life-threatening injuries. Firefighters described the scene as a “raging apartment fire” on the seventh floor, necessitating three aerial ladder rescues and the evacuation of dozens of residents.
In total, 20 people were moved to a temporary shelter. Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi mentioned that a crisis unit had been established to assist anyone affected by the fire. The community is now grappling with the aftermath of this tragic arson blaze, hoping for answers and justice as investigations continue.