The tragedy was narrowly avoided on Saturday evening in Courtillers, a small town near Sablé-sur-Sarthe (Sarthe).
Around midnight, a fire broke out in the pavilion without its occupants, a father and his three children, noticing it.
It was the gendarmes, alerted by neighbors who saw the release of smoke, who arrived first on the scene.
They woke up the inhabitants and managed to get them out by breaking a window, reports
Ouest-France
.
Just in time.
The flames, which quickly spread from the garage, destroyed part of the house, including the roof.
The father and his three children were taken care of by the emergency services, safe and sound.
They will be relocated for the next few days.
A police investigation has been opened.
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