It was around 6 p.m. on Tuesday August 9 that the inhabitants of this HLM building on rue Renoir, in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, smelled the first smoke. Very quickly, they invaded the floors. The 25 people present, eight families, had to evacuate their apartments.
The fire started from one of the cellars of the building. According to initial findings, it’s a mattress that caught fire. Two people, bothered by the fumes, were taken to Sens hospital for examinations. Most of the other residents were able to stay with relatives for the night. Only two people had to be accommodated with the help of the town hall. The police opened an investigation.