2018 Marseille building collapse

{{short description|2018 French disaster}}

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{{Infobox news event

|title=2018 collapse of Rue d'Aubagne

|date=5 November 2018

|image=Marseille 20181110 02.jpg

|caption=

|time=

|place=Marseille, France

|coordinates=

|also known as=

|suspects=

|charges=

|reported injuries=

|reported death(s)=8

}}

At 9{{nbsp}}am on November 5, 2018, two buildings in Marseille, numbers 63 and 65 Rue d'Aubagne, collapsed in the center of Marseille,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/06/marseille-building-collapse-rescuers-search-for-missing|title=Marseille building collapse: four bodies found as search continues|last=Willsher|first=Kim|date=2018-11-06|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-11-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://kozpost.com/blog/marseille-the-psychosis-settles-after-the-collapse-of-the-rue-daubagne/15364/|title=Marseille: the psychosis settles after the collapse of the rue d'aubagne {{!}} The Koz Post|website=kozpost.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111001802/https://kozpost.com/blog/marseille-the-psychosis-settles-after-the-collapse-of-the-rue-daubagne/15364/|archive-date=2018-11-11|url-status=dead}} killing eight people in the crowded neighborhood of Noailles. Number 63 was unoccupied, belonging since 2016 to the economic improvement company Marseille Habitat, but number 65 was occupied with people living in the building. Eight bodies were found in the rubble,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/world/europe/marseille-building-collapse-toll.html|title=Death Toll in Marseille Building Collapse Rises to 6|access-date=2018-11-20|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/07/marseille-building-collapse-fifth-body-found-in-rubble|title=Marseille building collapse: sixth body found in rubble|last=Willsher|first=Kim|date=2018-11-07|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-11-11}}{{Cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/death-toll-marseille-building-collapse-59083204|title=Death toll up to 8 in Marseille building collapse|work=ABC News|access-date=2018-11-11|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111173711/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/death-toll-marseille-building-collapse-59083204|archive-date=2018-11-11|url-status=dead}} when the search for survivors came to an end on 9 November. Emergency services immediately demolished the building next to number 67, as it was unoccupied and equally fragile.

Officials evacuated at least 4,500 people from 578 dangerous buildings during the months following the accident, but many are{{when|date=November 2022}} still lodged in their "temporary" housing. Most of the evacuees were from the ethnic minorities living in these buildings, and were moved from their houses to safer accommodation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/world/europe/france-marseille-building-collapse.html|title=As Slums Teeter in Marseille, a Poverty Crisis Turns Deadly|access-date=2018-11-20|language=en}} The management crisis became the norm: one year after the accident, the "Haute Comité au logement" spoke of a humanitarian crisis. Three years after the accident, 1,500 people still live in their temporary lodging.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

After the collapse, the tenants of the houses in the center of Marseille cited laziness on the part of the town hall because most buildings in the center of Marseille are dilapidated and not maintained.{{Cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2018/11/09/gestion-de-l-habitat-indigne-la-mairie-de-marseille-etrillee-par-l-agence-regionale-de-sante-avant-l-effondrement-des-immeubles_5381423_3224.html|title=Avant l'effondrement des immeubles, la gestion de l'habitat par la mairie de Marseille déjà critiquée|work=Le Monde.fr|access-date=2018-11-12|language=fr-FR}}

During a march to honour the victims on 10 November, which gathered 8,000 people, according to the authorities, a balcony collapsed, injuring three.{{Cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/2018/11/11/marseille-building-collapse-balcony-gives-way-as-city-honours-victims|title=Marseille building collapse: balcony gives way as city honours victims|date=2018-11-11}}

The indictments began in November 2020 with those of Marseille Habitat (owner of No. 63), Julien Ruas (close to Jean-Claude Gaudin and his deputy in charge of the risk management and prevention department), and the Liautard firm (co-ownership manager in charge of No. 65). The investigation could last for many years.{{Cite web|last=Harounyan|first=Stéphanie|title=Drame de la rue d'Aubagne: deux mises en examen de plus|url=https://www.liberation.fr/france/2020/11/19/drame-de-la-rue-d-aubagne-deux-mises-en-examen-de-plus_1806117/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Libération|language=fr}}