What we know about the fire that killed at least seven people in a building in Nice

Investigators are focusing on criminal activity to explain the outbreak of fire in a building in the Moulins district. The fire killed three children, a teenager and three adults.

“The victims are all part of the same family”according to the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, Hugues Moutouh. A fire ravaged at least one apartment in a building in the Moulins district of Nice on the night of Wednesday 17 to Thursday 18 July. At least seven people died, including three children and a teenager, according to a provisional report.

The fire also injured several people, one of whom was taken to hospital in “absolute emergency”. Two other people were hospitalized in “relative urgency”the emergency services said. An investigation into arson has been opened. Franceinfo takes stock of what we know about this tragedy.

The fire broke out during the night

Firefighters intervened during the night, around 2:45 a.m., in the Moulins district of Nice, for a violent apartment fire on the seventh floor of a building located on rue de la Santoline, France Bleu Azur learned. Significant resources were deployed on site by the firefighters and the fire was contained at 7 a.m., thanks to the intervention of 85 firefighters.

According to the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, the fire broke out “further down the stairwell” and not in the apartment itself. The flames quickly spread to the seventh floor, including the apartment where ten people were present.

Seven members of the same family died

The toll is heavy: at least seven people were killed in the fire. “The victims are all part of the same family, of Comorian origin. They all lived in the same 90 m2 apartment.”the prefect said. The victims were two women, a man, a teenager and three children aged 5, 7 and 10. While some were trapped by the flames, at least one person died trying to escape. “Two people jumped out of the window and one of them died, the people jumped hanging on to their mattresses”said the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes.

One person, seriously injured, was hospitalized in absolute emergency. Two other people in “relative urgency” were also taken to hospital.

Firefighters were able to rescue five people trapped using ladders. Emergency services also evacuated and brought 31 people to safety by allowing them to leave the scene via stairwells, the prefect said. “The toll could have been much worse”declared the director of the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service and the Alpes-Maritimes, René Dies on BFMTV. “There were scenes of extreme violence”he added, “Four police officers were shocked by the tragedy, after seeing people being thrown out of windows.”

The investigation is moving towards the criminal trail

“In view of the initial findings, I have opened an investigation into acts of arson resulting in death.”the public prosecutor, Damien Martinelli, told reporters on the scene on Thursday morning. The trail “criminal” is privileged.

The initial investigations have been entrusted to the interdepartmental management of the national police of the Alpes-Maritimes. Several scientific experts are expected on the scene during the day. “Scientific evidence will provide details on where the fire started, but it is possible that it started much lower than the seventh-floor apartment.”declared the magistrate on France Bleu Azur.

“We have footage showing three hooded individuals entering the building just before the incident.”said the deputy mayor of Nice, Anthony Borré, who went to the scene.

“Immense emotion” in Nice

The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, reacted on the social network X: “All my thoughts go out to the families and loved ones of the victims.” The city of Nice has opened the Nikaïa Palace, a performance hall, to accommodate affected families. Eric Ciotti, LR-RN MP for the first constituency of the Alpes-Maritimes, shared his feelings on the same network “immense emotion”.

For his part, Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, addressed “to the families of the victims his full support in the face of this terrible tragedy”. “Solidarity and great emotion: the South Region wholeheartedly supports the people of Nice after the terrible fire at Moulins”he commented on X.