Le Figaro Marseille
The investigation into the fire which broke out in a building in Kalliste Park, in the northern districts of Marseille, is progressing.
Friday February 2, a judicial investigation into the counts of
“involuntary homicide”
,
“involuntary injuries”
,
“involuntary damage by dangerous means”
and
“subjection of vulnerable people to unworthy housing conditions”
was opened by the public prosecutor's office of Marseille, following the preliminary investigation opened after the fire for
“homicide”
and
“unintentional injuries”
and entrusted to the Territorial Crime Division.
A 4-year-old boy lost his life and at least 21 people were treated by emergency services after suffering burns or poisoning from the fumes released.
In a press release, the Marseille prosecutor's office indicated that some of these injured had been able to leave the hospital and that the state of health of all the victims was
"improving"
.
The fire apparently started at the apartment's auxiliary heating
According to the Marseille prosecutor's office, a key witness has already been interviewed by the police.
This is the occupant of the apartment where the fire started, heard during police custody.
Seriously burned to the second degree
“on several parts of the body”
, he explained that he was
“awakened by the fire”
and
“tried to put it out in vain”
, while
“alerting the residents of the building”
.
According to his testimony, the fire started at his auxiliary heating, then spread to the furniture in the apartment.
Still according to the Marseille prosecutor's office, the investigation also highlighted
"the precarious accommodation conditions"
of the occupants of this apartment, the latter being the subject of an
"illegal occupation"
.
A fact which would be far from isolated to Kalliste Park according to many observers.
“Everyone knows that Kalliste is a worn-out city full of defects, emblematic of the degraded condominiums of Marseille,”
proclaimed Hassen Hammou, spokesperson for EELV Paca and long-time activist in the northern districts of Marseille, last week. at
Figaro
.
“The truth is that she is no longer in any condition.
It is one of the oldest cities in Marseille and these inhabitants of the northern districts have been left behind by the city's policies
,” he added.
The investigation will now have to
“determine the exact circumstances and causes of the fire”
, in addition to
“specify the accommodation conditions as well as the state of the electrical installation”
of the building.