what we know about the investigation, which now favors the criminal trail

The autopsies of the two victims found Sunday evening in the rubble of an apartment in the 11th arrondissement of the capital revealed wounds compatible with bullet holes, the Paris prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday.

Three people died on Sunday April 7 in Paris, in a fire in a studio located on rue de Charonne, in the 11th arrondissement of the capital. Less than 48 hours later, the investigation into the fire in the building took a new turn, the Paris prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday. The criminal trail is now favored by investigators. Franceinfo takes stock of this affair.

A violent fire occurred Sunday evening in an apartment in the 11th arrondissement of Paris

The flames ravaged an apartment in a building built in the 1970s on Sunday evening, rue de Charonne, in the 11th arrondissement of the capital. The fire broke out around 8:15 p.m. in a studio on the 7th floor. To put out the flames, 66 firefighters and 17 engines were involved. After the emergency services intervened, the evacuated residents were able to return to their apartments at the end of the evening.

Investigators are seeking to establish the origin of this fire and the possibility of an explosion has not been ruled out. “It’s not town gas because the building doesn’t have any, it may be a cylinder (…) which leaked”, explained Luc Lebon, deputy mayor of the district, on Monday at the microphone of France Télévisions. Several witnesses report hearing a dull noise. “We are sure of the origin of the fire, since all the local residents are unanimous on the fact that they heard an explosion”added the Paris security advisor.

Two bodies found in the rubble and another defenestrated

Rescuers discovered two charred bodies in the rubble of the studio, while a third person died after falling from the 7th floor. The individual, trapped, tried to reach an apartment from his balcony before falling. “I saw a man go out of his window and try to get into the apartment below. But the window was closed and when he tried to kick in, he fell.” says a resident quoted by The Parisian. On the body of the defenestrated man, a Navigo transport card was found. According to the daily, this is the official tenant of the accommodation which caught fire, information which has not been confirmed by the public prosecutor’s office.

The three deaths have not yet been formally identified, the public prosecutor told franceinfo. In a message sent to AFP, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, sent her condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims: “I would like to assure them of the full support of the municipality which stands by their side”.

The criminal trail now favored

Initially entrusted to investigators from the 2nd judicial police district, the criminal investigation opened Monday for “destruction by fire or dangerous means” and “involuntary homicide” was reclassified, in the light of the autopsies carried out on the two men found in the rubble after the fire. They revealed head wounds consistent with bullet impacts.

“The results of the autopsies led the prosecution to refer the charges of intentional homicide and destruction of property of others by means dangerous to people to the criminal brigade”, the Paris prosecutor’s office told franceinfo on Tuesday, confirming information from BFMTV. According to The Parisian, investigators from the criminal brigade now favor the hypothesis of a double homicide. Still according to the daily, fabrics and pieces of newspaper soaked in gasoline were found in the home.