The samples are finished, five days after the explosion which killed eight people in this small town in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Analyzes to determine the causes of the disaster can begin.
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The investigations into the origin of the fire which killed eight people in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque in the Pyrénées-Orientales on February 14 “are completed for the observation part”, announcement, Saturday, February 19, the public prosecutor of Perpignan Jean-David Cavaillé during a press conference. “The experts had to come out and analyze 34 tons of rubble from the buildings”, he explains. The analysis phase will now begin, “and it is only then that we will be able to know the origin of the fire and/or the explosion”, adds the prosecutor.
“At this moment, I cannot tell you objectively whether we are on a fire that has evolved into an explosion or an explosion that has caused a fire”
Jean-David Cavaillé, public prosecutor of Perpignanat franceinfo
“All avenues of work remain fully under study, criminal track or accidental track”summarizes Jean-David Cavaillé.
Investigators from the Criminal Research Institute of the National Gendarmerie (IRCGN) will carry out analyzes of their samples “to look for the slightest significant element allowing to get an idea of the conditions and the causes of the explosion “continues the public prosecutor of Perpignan.
During these samples, “no other victims were discovered in the rubble”, further specifies Jean-David Cavaillé. Death toll from Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque fire is 8 “including 5 people from the same family: the grandfather, the daughter, her companion and the two children, a couple moreover and a woman”.
“The bodies will be returned to the families early next week so that they can proceed with the burial ceremonies,” adds the prosecutor. “The seriously injured victim is still hospitalized in Montpellier in a stable state”.