two disused buildings collapse after a major fire

A fire ravaged two disused buildings in Rouen (Seine-Maritime) on Saturday September 30 in the evening, which collapsed, the firefighters and the town hall announced. Large plumes of smoke were released above this town marked by the Lubrizol fire. Fire “occurred in an abandoned eight-story building (…) around 6 p.m.” and he “spread in the evening to a second disused building. Both buildings collapsed,” detailed the town hall, in a press release released during the night from Saturday to Sunday.

“The fire now appears to be contained and the risk of spread has been eliminated”, “the final phase of extinguishing the fire is underway”. The fire, the origin of which is unknown, did not cause any casualties, assures the town hall. Around 130 firefighters were mobilized. “These buildings are made of steel and glass. Under fire, the steel has softened“, explained Thomy Chauvel, commander of relief operations, quoted by the daily Paris-Normandy. “It was a furnace”testified Fatima El Khili, deputy mayor of Rouen, present on site.

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These glass and steel buildings, which date from the 1970s and have been empty since 2018, contain asbestos. “Regarding the toxicity of the smoke, measurements were taken by the departmental fire and rescue service (SDIS) throughout the operationspecifies the town hall. No dangerous threshold has been identified.” Additional analyzes and samples will be carried out “starting this Sunday”, also affirms the town hall. Results will be known within 48 to 72 hours. Nursery and elementary schools located near the fire will remain closed by “precautionary principle”adds the town hall, which will bring together a crisis unit on Sunday.