"I am a miracle worker. I managed to flee in extremis this smoke, these flames which licked my body. Within ten seconds, I was dead, ”says André Casella. A year after the terrible fire in Courchevel (2 dead and 25 injured) which had ravaged Isba, a building housing around sixty seasonal workers, he spoke for the first time.
This 52-year-old man, who lived on the 3rd and last floor of the building, is now totally upset: “I am in depression. I have nightmares, I fear a new fire. My wife filed for divorce, so my son lost his father. This fire shattered my life and my family, ”confides this pastry chef who worked for the famous chef Marc Veyrat and who in January 2019 was employed in a large hotel in Courchevel.
VIDEO. Images of the Courchevel fire.
This Sunday, a white march will be organized in the station to commemorate the drama. André Casella will not participate: “It's too hard for me to go back there. »The tragic night haunts him:« Around 4:30 am (Editor's note: January 20, 2019) , I heard noise in the building. I opened my door, black smoke, heavy and thick then invaded my room. I was close to suffocation. There was also the sound of explosions. Probably the shaving foam bombs that exploded in the building. I crawled to the balcony. The flames were on me. I almost jumped from the 3rd floor. But I decided to let myself slide to the 2nd floor by clinging to the planks of the facade. I was then able to jump on the roof of the Chanel store, then on the road. The snow cushioned my fall. "
"No working fire extinguisher, no accessible emergency exit"
A 22-year-old dealer, in conflict with other dealers in the station, is today suspected of having set fire to the Isba. Indicted and incarcerated on March 30 for "destruction by fire resulting in death", he denies his involvement. But André Casella is especially angry with his employer, Eric Tournier, owner of Isba.
“This dilapidated and unsanitary building did not meet safety standards. No fire alarm, no smoke detector, no working fire extinguisher, no accessible emergency exit. If the building had been up to standard, we could have avoided all these victims. People could have evacuated in time. The Tournier group earns a lot of money and had the means to bring this building up to standard. Justice must recognize their responsibility. "
Contacted, the Tournier group did not wish to respond to these accusations. André Casella's wife wrote a letter to Eric Tournier: “My husband was super happy to join your team and proud to work for you. He told us it was going to change his life. And yes, it changed his life, but in a nightmare. Before working for you, we had a happy life. "
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Eric Tournier replied: "I know that no word can alleviate your suffering. I measure what you are going through right now. Since that tragic event, my life has changed. Not a day without me thinking about this fire. Not one. "
"Housing seasonal workers in this way is unacceptable"
Originally from Roubaix (North), Olivier Vanlerberghe, 50, a diver in a restaurant of the Tournier group, is no longer there to testify. He died in the Courchevel fire. It is therefore his brother Laurent who speaks. To honor his memory. And to denounce the accommodation conditions.
“Olivier worked a lot. In particular to help financially his sister Brigitte. He said it was his last season at the resort. He wanted to enjoy his family, life. His accommodation in Courchevel was unworthy. Housing seasonal workers like that is unacceptable. If they had respected the fire standards, Olivier would still be alive today. The building's fire extinguishers were empty, the emergency exits blocked. We want answers to all of these shortcomings. We want the truth ”asks Laurent Vanlerberghe. The investigation into the security conditions at Isba is still ongoing.
