The collapse of two adjoining buildings in Lille on Saturday November 12 caused one death and one minor injury. the Minister Delegate for Cities and Housing, Olivier Klein visited the site c
and Monday. He announced that a study mission will be entrusted to a public body to find the causes. This drama brings back memories in Belfort where the facade of a building collapsed on January 19, 2018. “It challenged us and since then we have taken a number of measures”, explains the mayor of the city Damien Meslot. Controls have been increased “especially in the sector of avenue Jean Jaurès where many buildings are in poor condition”.
17 buildings were deemed to be very dilapidated in this sector. “So we sent registered letters to the owners, summoning them to do the work, otherwise they would be expropriated and the City would buy the buildings to do the work. Some agreed to do the work, others agreed to sell them to us. “. Currently, two buildings are in pre-emption and two others in the process of being acquired, including the former Lénot cycle store. “In Belfort, we took the bull by the horns to launch a very proactive housing improvement policy. so as to avoid this type of drama because we cannot risk the lives of our inhabitants”.
“Peril orders are rare in Belfort”
The mayor of Belfort rarely takes a decree of danger, “maybe a year”. The city councilor takes this measure as a last resort. “‘Before, we discuss with the owners, we present to them all the devices that allow them to do work and to be subsidized. The decree of danger or expropriation is when we have passed all the stages of negotiations and that nothing happened, he explains. Damien Meslot recalls that Le Grand Belfort offers to support owners,
especially if they are in difficulty. “We have bad faith owners but it’s a minority”, would like to highlight the chosen one.
Damien Meslot invites residents to report in case of doubt, when they notice major cracks or water infiltration problems that weaken the walls. “In Lille, a young person gave the alert, he had the right reflex. We have to be warned. We go there and look. Sometimes we realize that the building, although degraded, does not present a danger but sometimes we have to intervene. We have a very proactive policy, it costs money but it avoids a lot of drama”.