After the fire that killed seven people in a building in Nice on Thursday, July 18, the victims have gone from sadness to anger. Several of the tenants are considering filing a complaint against the social landlord Côte d’Azur Habitat for “endangering the lives of others.”
Barely 24 hours after the fire that killed seven people in a building in the Moulins district of Nice, anger has replaced sadness. This Friday, July 19, a meeting was organized between the tenants and Côte d’Azur Habitat. Some of them want the social landlord to also take responsibility.
“A good number of victims have decided to file a complaint for endangering the lives of others against the social landlord,” Nourredine Debbar, president of the Nice Moulins Solidarités association, told BFM Nice Côte d’Azur.
Fire victims left destitute after the fire
Of the 13 families affected, some are staying in hotel residences and others with relatives.
They were able to briefly return to their respective apartments on Friday to collect their belongings. Traces of soot, the smell of burning… A scene of desolation presented itself to them, to the point where it is difficult for them to recognize their apartment.
“It’s all dark, we can hardly see anything. We’ve recovered as much as possible and there are other things that we need to recover,” said one disaster victim.
“We don’t recognize anything. At the entrance, the corridors, the stairs… Everything is black, nothing but coal,” says another.
These families lost almost everything in the fire and are supported by associations, which are launching an appeal for donations.
“There is an urgent need, really urgent, whether it be for food, clothing…”, says Nathalie, president of the association Les Anges de la Team de Carras.
“We mainly appeal to companies that have unsold items, whether they are cookers, display models or refrigerators… We will also take anything that is not saleable,” she adds.
Hot meals, support and psychological support… The crisis unit set up on the evening of the tragedy will remain open to accommodate victims while waiting for rehousing solutions to be found.
An individual taken into custody
On the night of Wednesday 17 to Thursday 18 July, seven people died in a fire in an apartment in the Moulins district. Three children, a teenager, two women and a man were among the victims, all members of the same family.
The prosecutor had announced that the “criminal” lead was being considered and had indicated that investigators were exploring the theory of “conflict against a backdrop of drug trafficking”.
Three young men were spotted on city CCTV footage and broke down the front door of the building before fleeing. On Friday, July 19, a person was arrested and taken into custody, BFMTV learned. It was not one of the three individuals, but someone close to them.
Claudia Olivier, Victor Labbé with Mélanie Hennebique