Vaulx-en-Velin fire
{{Short description|Fire in Vaulx-en-Velin, France}}
{{Infobox event
| title = Vaulx-en-Velin fire
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| date = {{start date|2022|12|16|df=yes}}
| time = {{circa}} 03:00 (UTC+01:00)
| location = Vaulx-en-Velin, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
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| coordinates = {{Coord|45|46|56|N|4|54|49|E|display=inline,title}}
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| reported deaths = 10
| reported injuries = 14
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On 16 December 2022, a fire ravaged a residential building at 12 chemin des Barques in Vaulx-en-Velin, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. It resulted in killing 10 people, including five children, and injured 14.
Fire
The fire broke out at around 3:00 a.m. on the first floor of a 7-story apartment building located at 12 chemin des Barques in the district of Mas-du-Taureau in Vaulx-en-Velin.{{cite web |title=Violent incendie à Vaulx-en-Velin: au moins 10 personnes décédées, dont cinq enfants |url=https://www.leprogres.fr/faits-divers-justice/2022/12/16/violent-incendie-a-vaulx-en-velin-au-moins-10-personnes-decedees-dont-cinq-enfants |publisher=Le Progrès |date=16 December 2022 |accessdate=16 December 2022 |language=fr}}{{cite web |title=Violent incendie dans le Rhône, au moins 10 morts, dont 5 enfants |url=https://www.lepoint.fr/faits-divers/violent-incendie-dans-le-rhone-au-moins-10-morts-dont-5-enfants-16-12-2022-2501979_2627.php |publisher=Le Point |date=16 December 2022 |accessdate=16 December 2022 |language=fr}} The alert was given at 3:12 a.m. and the first members of the departmental-metropolitan fire and rescue service (SDMIS) arrive on the scene at three minutes later. A total of 170 firefighters and 65 fire engines were mobilized to put out the flames.{{cite web |first=Nicolas |last=Chaize |title=Métropole de Lyon : 10 morts dans un incendie à Vaulx-en-Velin |url=https://www.lyoncapitale.fr/actualite/metropole-de-lyon-10-morts-dans-un-incendie-a-vaulx-en-velin |publisher=Lyon Capitale |date=16 December 2022 |access-date=16 December 2022 |language=fr}} Smoke reportedly caused many to become disoriented and unable to locate evacuation routes, forcing many to evacuate by ladders and exterior windows.{{Cite web |last=Caplan |first=Anna Lazarus |date=December 16, 2022 |title=10 Dead, Including 5 Children, in France Apartment Building Fire |url=https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/10-dead-including-5-children-144407947.html |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=uk.sports.yahoo.com |language=en-GB}} Witnesses recalled residents smashing windows to try and climb out of the building and one mother who threw her child out of a window to be caught by a person on the ground.{{Cite web |last=Cipriani |first=Laurent |last2=Adamson |first2=Thomas |date=2022-12-16 |title=10 dead in France’s worst residential fire in years |url=https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ts/news/world/europe/2022/12/16/10-dead-including-5-children-in-france-apartment-fire.html |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=thepeterboroughexaminer.com |language=en}} At 6:30 a.m. the prefecture of Rhône announced that the fire was extinguished.{{cite web |title=L’incendie d’un immeuble à Vaulx-en-Velin fait au moins dix morts, dont cinq enfants |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2022/12/16/au-moins-dix-morts-dont-cinq-enfants-dans-l-incendie-d-un-immeuble-a-vaulx-en-velin_6154658_3224.html |publisher=Le Monde |date=16 December 2022 |access-date=16 December 2022 |language=fr}}
Fatalities
Ten people, including five children, were killed by the blast. Fourteen people, including two firemen, were also injured. In a press conference, Darmanin said that the ages of the children who died ranged from 3 to 15 years and that all those who died or were seriously injured in the fire were in the building at the time it broke out.{{cite web |title=Incendie à Vaulx-en-Velin: Gérald Darmanin confirme un bilan de 10 morts et annonce se rendre sur place |url=https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/incendie-a-vaulx-en-velin-gerald-darmanin-confirme-un-bilan-de-10-morts-et-annonce-se-rendre-sur-place_VN-202212160087.html |publisher=BFM TV |date=16 December 2022 |accessdate=16 December 2022}}
Investigation
Although the causes of the fire remain initially unknown, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin confirmed, at 7:38 a.m., that there were several hypotheses relating to them.{{cite web |title=Incendie d'un immeuble à Vaulx-en-Velin : "plusieurs existent affirme Gérald Darmanin" |url=https://www.cnews.fr/faits-divers/2022-12-16/incendie-dun-immeuble-vaulx-en-velin-plusieurs-hypotheses-existent-affirme |publisher=CNews |date=16 December 2022 |access-date=16 December 2022 |language=fr}} If it does not specify which ones, Le Progrès suggested that the fire was caused by either "a boiler problem or a garbage fire".
Aftermath
The provisional human toll being particularly heavy, the prefect of Rhône Pascal Mailhos announced the opening of a departmental operational center (COD) and the triggering of the number of victims plan. Counseling centers were set up at two local schools that were believed to have the majority of victims attending.
Response
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, announced that he would visit the site with France's housing minister while offering his condolences to the family and friends of the victims.{{Cite web |last=Da Silva |first=Chantal |author-link=Chantal Da Silva |date=December 16, 2022 |title=5 children among 10 dead in France apartment fire |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/apartment-fire-lyon-france-kills-10-5-children-rcna62049 |access-date=2022-12-21 |website=NBC News |language=en}} Mailhos also went to the site with the mayor of Vaulx-en-Velin and the public prosecutor of Lyon, joined later by the Minister Delegate for the City and Housing Olivier Klein and Darmanin.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and football team Olympique Lyonnais also issued statements offering their thoughts to those affected.
See also
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaulx-en-Velin Fire, 2022}}
Category:2022 disasters in France
Category:21st century in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Category:December 2022 in France