Arson suspected in fire with seven deaths in France

Seven people were killed in a fire in an apartment building in the southern French city of Nice early Thursday morning. Police are investigating the fire as possible arson, authorities said.

Among the dead were three children aged five, seven and ten, as well as a 17-year-old who tried to escape by jumping out of the window, they added.

The apartment was inhabited by a family that probably had Comorian roots, said regional prefect Hugues Moutouh, referring to the South African island state.

When the fire broke out, ten people were in the building.

Emergency services were alerted at around 2:30 a.m. (00:30 GMT) to the fire on the seventh floor of the building in the slum of Les Moulins in the west of the city, which is known as a center of drug trafficking.

Despite the considerable effort, “unfortunately seven people lost their lives in this fire,” the fire department said.

Neighbors hurriedly dragged mattresses in front of the building to break the fall of those who jumped out of the windows.

Four police officers received psychological counseling after witnessing the incident.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on social media that the rapid arrival of firefighters “probably prevented further deaths.”

Darmanin and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal were expected at the site later on Thursday.

– ‘Serious, barbaric’ –

Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli said investigators were looking into whether the fire was “criminally” motivated.

“Based on the initial evidence, I have launched an investigation into arson resulting in death,” he told reporters at the scene.

He did not provide details, but Nice Deputy Mayor Anthony Borre said surveillance footage showed three men wearing balaclavas nearby.

“These actions are serious, they are barbaric,” he said, adding that he expected a “strong response” from the authorities once the investigation was completed.

President Emmanuel Macron said he shared the “emotions” of the city of Nice following the fire and posted on social media that his thoughts were “with the relatives of the deceased”.

The fire probably broke out on the second floor of the building and spread via the stairwell to the upper floors, authorities said.

Rescue workers said three people were taken to hospital, one with life-threatening injuries after jumping from a window.

They said firefighters were confronted with a “raging apartment fire” on the seventh floor of the building. They conducted three rescues using aerial ladders and evacuated dozens.

“There were flames in the stairwell and smoke coming from under the door,” said Soibrata, who lives on the fifth floor of the building.

“I woke the children up and called the fire department, who told us to put wet towels under the doors and go to the balcony,” where they were rescued, she said.

Soibrata, who did not give her last name, and others in the building told AFP that the wait for firefighters was much longer than the “10 minutes” it took for them to arrive, according to Martinelli.

Neighbors sprayed umbrellas and furniture on adjacent balconies with water to prevent falling burning debris from setting fire to the rest of the building, it was said.

Twenty people were evacuated to an emergency shelter. The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, said that a crisis team would be set up to help all those affected by the fire.

fcc-so/jh/tgb/jm