Fire in France: Children among seven dead in suspected arson attack in Nice

A fire that broke out in the southern French city of Nice in the early hours of Thursday morning left seven people dead, including three small children and a teenager.

The local prosecutor said authorities were investigating the fire as a possible arson attack.

The flames engulfed the upper floors of an apartment block in the Moulins district of Nice, near the city’s airport.

The mayor of Nice said there were images that clearly showed the fire was caused by petrol that masked figures had poured into a stairwell during the night. Acting Prime Minister Gabriel Attal later visited the scene of the fire and said police were looking for three people.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said three small children were among the victims. Police will now “shed light on the circumstances of this terrible tragedy.”

The fire broke out on the second floor and quickly spread to the upper floors. Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli told journalists that in light of the initial findings he had “opened an investigation into arson as the cause of death”.

According to local reports, the seven victims all belonged to the same family. Officials said three adults, a teenager and younger children aged five, seven and ten died.

Two members of the family are said to have tried to escape through a window – one died, the other is in critical condition.

Prefect Hugues Moutouh said everyone was affected by the tragedy and “determined to provide help and support to the survivors.”

A man named Iftahou told the website Nice Matin that he arrived at the scene of the fire and realized that there was no hope for the people inside.

The head of the Comorian community in southern France, Najim Maecha, said he knew the family and that they had been living in Nice since around 2013.

Nice’s mayor Christian Estrosi said the number of victims of the disaster was extremely high. In addition to the seven victims, 30 other people suffered from smoke inhalation.

“I have asked the Interior Minister to deploy security forces to ensure the safety of residents and to prevent new incidents following this tragedy, which is being investigated for possible arson,” he said.

President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to Britain: “Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. We stand with them and with the people of Nice.”