A security perimeter was established around the basilica whose roof was destroyed by fire Monday …
Protections promised by the city of Nantes to define the security perimeter established around the Basilica Saint-Donatien, whose roof was devastated by fire on Monday , are lagging behind at the present. At the moment, access to the restricted area is only prevented by a red and white plastic ribbon and not the more secure metal barriers. Doors leading to the inside of the building are obviously closed. The security perimeter covers all of the basilica and also adjoining buildings and the cemetery.
The firefighters left the scene Tuesday afternoon after any risk of the fire recovering was dismissed but experts fear for the vault stone of the building , which has been weakened by the heat and the water used to extinguish the flames and structural debris that fell.
Preliminary interventions could take months
The next interventions will aim at clearing rubble, creating a supporting structure for the vaulted arch and to establish a kind of “tarpaulin umbrella” to create a run-off for rainwater, to avoid further damage to the interior and to the stone structure. So many interventions that will require several weeks or months, “given the risks and difficulties of the structure.”
Repair can only be considered in a second phase, after all the preliminary safety work has been put in place.
