Four people, including a six year old child died in the night of Wednesday to Thursday in a fire at an apartment in Marseille, reported Thursday morning by the fire brigade of the city.
“Four people were found dead on the spot: two women about 35 years old, a 6 year old child and a fourth person the sex and age still undetermined”, in an apartment in the 12th district east of the city. The fire broke out around 3am. On site, the fire brigade found a fire in an apartment on the ground floor of a four storey building. The four people were found dead in public areas, suffocated by the smoke and “intense heat” .
Someone with 70 percent burns was transported to the hospital Conception and two slightly intoxicated by the fumes were taken to the Hospital of St. Margaret. A fourth person, in shock, was taken over by the fire department. Three firemen among the first responders suffered “heat stroke due to the intensity of the incident, although their injuries are not serious, ” stated the firefighters, saying that this intervention has mobilized 20 vehicles and 70 firemen.
The Interior Minister Gérard Collomb expressed in a statement “its great emotion after the tragic fire” . “To the families and friends of the victims, Gérard Collomb wishes to give its full support and present their sincere condolences. He addresses careful thought to those injured in the accident” and pays tribute “to the determined action of Battalion personnel Marins-Pompiers, to all health services and police mobilized.”
In the same press release the Ministry of Interior announced that an investigation had been initiated under the authority of the prosecutor of Marseilles and entrusted to the Departmental Safety to determine the origin of the fire.