Ten days after the fire which destroyed the Le Mess restaurant and the Amorino glacier, next to the Castillet in Perpignan, the investigation was able to begin on Tuesday; the specialized police were able to go to the now fairly secure places. But the employees were fired.
On the evening of the fire, at the end of August, the 28 employees found themselves on technical unemployment. Ten days later, the Chief of Mess confirms their dismissal. “Unfortunately, we had to dismiss them for force majeure, explains this Wednesday on France Bleu Roussillon the chef of the restaurant, Julien Hermida. We no longer have a working tool, so no more no further visibility.”
This Tuesday, for the first time, investigators were able to visit the scene next to the Castillet. In the middle of the rubble, they will try to find the origin of the fire. It is still far too dangerous to walk inside the burnt-out building; the risk of collapse is still important. The investigators are therefore moving quietly, with the help of rope access technicians. It is a company from Rivesaltes which, usually, intervenes rather on renovation sites in perilous environments, such as on the ramparts of Carcassonne or those of the fortress of Salses.
“To mourn this loss, we must at least know the cause of the accident.”
Julien Hermida, Chief of the Mess
For the rest, the restaurant owner already knows that he will have to move. “It’s devastated, there’s absolutely nothing left. We are working on leads to find a new location.”