The fire broke out in the early morning on Monday in Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), rue Salagoïty, reports Sud-Ouest.
Of criminal origin, the fire ravaged part of the building, and the inhabitants of the building were immediately evacuated by the firefighters.
Serious fire in Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
The building at the start of rue Chauvin dragon caught fire very early this morning.
According to a police officer, the fire was arson.
A madman allegedly threatened the firefighters with a gun.
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While the firefighters intervened in the building, they were threatened by a madman with a rifle.
Quickly, a security perimeter was set up and the RAID intervened.
The building threatens to collapse
According to Sud-Ouest, a second outbreak of fire inside the building was noted, supporting the trail of arson.
Regarding the suspect, it would be Jean-François Briscadieu, 59 years old and delivery driver by profession.
If he remained entrenched inside the building, "the hypotheses of finding him alive are quite weak", indicated the public prosecutor Jérôme Bourrier this Monday afternoon, while the RAID is still at its research.
The man is not known to the police and the motive remains unknown for the moment.
A decree of danger was taken, the destruction by the flames of the building threatening to make it collapse at any moment.
Of the ten people evacuated, three are being relocated by the town hall of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.