The heavy rains have barely dampened the smell of burning that emanates from the Grand Château de Serquigny, which was ravaged by a spectacular fire on Sunday 31 December. On Thursday 4 January, the Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak, came to support the mayor of the Eure commune, Frédéric Delamare, and was able to enter the heavily damaged building.
Helmet on her head, she listens to the explanations of France Poulain, chief architect of the Departmental Unit of Architecture and Heritage (UDAP) of the Eure des Bâtiments de France, who details the work to be carried out urgently to secure the castle. "Today, you can still enter the castle with caution," reassures the architect. But in two weeks, with the weather still weakening the structure, the risks of the floors collapsing will be too great.
The possibility of a giant "umbrella"
Serquigny (Eure), Thursday, January 4, 2024. The emergency work was to ensure the stability of the walls of the Grand Château and to prevent further water ingress. AFP/ Lou Benoist AFP or licensors
"The emergency work will allow us to ensure the stability of the walls and avoid new water ingress," explains France Poulain. And above all, to begin with, to stabilise the entrance bridge, which did not allow the fire brigade to approach the intervention vehicles and does not allow the construction machinery to be brought to the foot of the castle.
"We then have to secure the windows, with St. Andrew's crosses, to reinforce the unbalanced structures following the collapse of the roof and floors, prop up the walls, dismantle the chimneys that threaten to fall and protect from water. We are starting to wonder about the possibility of placing an umbrella above the structure," concludes the architect.
Owners ready to sell their shares
If, after three days of intervention to completely extinguish the fire, the firefighters of SDIS 27 have authorized access to the rubble, the building will have to be quickly protected from the weather. This Thursday, the mayor of Serquigny issued a danger order. The owners of the castle have two weeks to start work to make the premises safer.
"If in two weeks' time, nothing is done, it is the municipality that will take over but, legally, the mayor cannot act before that period," said the prefect of Eure, Simon Babre. "We are all mobilized, with the mayor, with the Department and the State services to restore as quickly as possible what needs to be safeguarded, and then to engage in discussions with the owners," said the Minister of Culture.
Read alsoFire at the Château de Serquigny: what are the obligations of the owners of a historic monument
Since the fire, the city services, supported by the prefecture and the state services, have been working to identify the owners of the castle. "Three or four owners called on their own," says the Minister of Culture. Of the forty owners of the estate, twenty-three own shares in the castle "and only one was insured", says Frédéric Delamare, who specifies that the commune was able to talk to twelve of the twenty-three owners.
"The owners with whom I have spoken," explains the mayor, "are ready to sell their shares under very favourable conditions, in the order of a symbolic euro." These transfers would allow the municipality and the State to look for new owners willing to engage in "a new project to revive this place", the minister continued. "I'm sure it can be of interest to investors and partners. And then, because it is a monument that is partially listed as a historical monument, the State will be able to partially finance the work. »
"I came as fast as I could"
Also questioned on social networks, Rima Abdul Malak brushed aside the criticism made by some far-right accounts accusing the state of "abandoning heritage" and was moved by the minister's silence. "I had already planned to come, but it took three days to put out the fire. I came as fast as I could," she replies. "It's not the role of the state to invade private property," she said. This castle, like all the heritage, is examined every five years by the Ministry, it was in good condition, there was no danger. ».
The Minister of Culture also returned to rumours that people had moved into the building to live illegally. "This castle was not squatted, it has been checked, the prefect has said it again. Unfortunately there was this tragedy, there are no electrical wires, it is potentially a human cause, but it is the investigation that will tell. »