The socialist mayor of Lille Martine Aubry indicated on Tuesday February 21 that 18 buildings in the city had been urgently evacuated since the collapse on November 12 of two adjoining buildings in the city center, which had caused the death of a man.
Since this double collapse in rue Pierre Mauroy, a shopping street in the city center, 266 reports have been made by tenants or owners, worried in particular about the presence of cracks, listed Martine Aubry during a press conference. .
Just after the buildings collapsed, we had a concern.
Martine Aubry, mayor of Lille
The mayor of Lille Martine Aubry, at Lille city hall, August 3, 2018. PHILIPPE HUGUENPhilippe HUGUEN / AFP
Emergency safety orders or formal notices to carry out work were issued in 36 cases.
An emergency evacuation has been ordered for a total of 18 buildings.
Eight buildings remain evacuated to this day.
"
Just after the buildings collapsed, we had a concern - I'm not talking about panic because I didn't feel it
," described the mayor.
"
We think it's good because it means people are more attentive
," she added, recalling that the upkeep and maintenance of the buildings were the responsibility of the owners.
The town hall seized the prosecutor for endangering the lives of others for three buildings on rue de la Monnaie, in Old Lille, "
scandalized
" by the state in which they were.
There are houses on stilts in Lille but not rue Pierre Mauroy.
Martine Aubry, mayor of Lille
As part of the investigation into the November collapse, the forensic expert's report is expected in June.
The mayor stressed that there were in any case "
no poles and no clay
" below these buildings.
"
There are houses on stilts in Lille but not rue Pierre Mauroy
", she insisted, stressing that other large cities such as Bordeaux or Lyon were much more exposed than Lille to the problem of shrinkage-swelling of clays.
In rue Pierre Mauroy, the first building, dating from the 18th century, had been evacuated the night before the collapse thanks to an alert given by students.
A doctor who was in the second building had been found dead in the rubble.
An investigation was opened for "
endangering the lives of others
" and "
manslaughter
".