2023-09-10 11:11:45
By Le Figaro with AFP
Published 2 hours ago, Updated 2 hours ago
The building, built in the 1970s, is located in a popular district near Marseille. stasknop / stock.adobe.com
The municipality of Bouches-du-Rhône warned the social landlord three years ago of the problems of deterioration of the buildings, demanding that work be carried out.
Nearly 150 people had to be evacuated overnight from Saturday to Sunday from a building housing social housing in Martigues, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, after the appearance of cracks, announced the city. “Following apparent cracks in building K of lessor 13 Habitat, endangering the solidity of the building with a risk of collapse, the inhabitants of this building and building M, nearly 150 people, were evacuated last night», Explained the city in a press release.
«We heard a crack then a big boom. I immediately thought of what happened in Morocco» struck the day before by an earthquake in which more than 2,000 people died, a resident of the evacuated building who preferred to remain anonymous told AFP. It was a resident who heard a crack in the night, with a crack appearing in a stairwell, who alerted the firefighters, according to 13 Habitat.
A municipal order of imminent danger prohibiting access to these two buildings was issued. A security perimeter has been positioned prohibiting the movement of pedestrians and vehicles. A support unit for the residents concerned has been set up. Most of the 150 evacuees were able to be relocated by family or friends, firefighters told AFP. As for families who do not have an accommodation solution, they can be accommodated in a gymnasium.
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The city “left abandoned”
The building, built in the 1970s, is located in a lively and popular area. On site, however, the situation was somewhat tense, with several residents accusing the social landlord 13 Habitat, the first public social landlord in Bouches-du-Rhône, of having “left abandoned” the city. “This is a problem that has been going on for a very long time. My mother’s balcony collapsed two years ago but she had to stay in her accommodationComplained to AFP another resident who prefers not to give her name.
Several people also told AFP that their request for rehousing, due to significant damage, had gone unheeded in recent years. Many remaining balconies are currently reinforced with masonry props to hold the building together, noted an AFP correspondent. According to a well-informed source in the city of Martigues, the municipality had warned 13 Habitat three years ago of the problems of deterioration of the buildings, asking that work be carried out as a result. The city had even released a million euros with the idea that the lessor would follow.
A finding contested by the social landlord who admittedly concedes that “on this city, the heritage was in poor condition“but believes”that there was no identified risk and that no procedure in progress indicated that the structure was weakened“, explained to AFP Romain Luongo, director of communication 13 Habitat. The social landlord manages 33,000 housing units in Bouches-du-Rhône, 22,000 of which must soon be renovated as part of a 4 billion euro plan. The works, which should start at the end of 2024, will last until 2040.
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