Parts of the church, including the bell tower, fell onto the pavement. The neighboring homes, including the Institut Supérieur Plus Oultre, had to be evacuated to prevent possible spread. In the end, there were none, but the residents still had to wait before being able to return to their homes.
The fire was finally brought under control around 2:30 p.m., but flare-ups might not be ruled out.
According to the City of Binche, no injuries were to be deplored.
Note that the building, listed since 1976, was unoccupied. It had been deconsecrated in 2015-2016 before being sold to a private party. All the emergency services of Binche and other surrounding barracks were on site, as were the municipal authorities.
The roof is totally destroyed and the stability of the building will have to be checked.
Several outbreaks of fire were noted suggesting a criminal act.
