Lille: two buildings collapse, several people are evacuated

Two buildings collapsed in the city center of Lille. The emergency services and the prefect arrived on the spot, according to “La Voix du Nord”.

Par Le Point.fr

Firefighters are on the scene looking for possible victims.
© Luc Nobout / MAXPPP / IP3 PRESS/MAXPPP

Published on 12/11/2022 at 10:32 a.m.
– Modified 12/11/2022 at 11:10 a.m.

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LThe emergency services are on site, no report has been given at the moment concerning possible victims or injured people. Two buildings suddenly collapsed this Saturday morning in the heart of Lille. Searches are underway to find people inside. The accident took place around 9:15 a.m., on rue Pierre-Mauroy, between numbers 40 and 44, according to information from The voice of the North.

Authorities cordoned off the area. Images published by Internet users on social networks show the extent of the damage: the buildings have fallen on the road, one of them seems to be under construction in view of the scaffolding present. The causes of the collapse are unknown at this stage but, according to a journalist from the regional daily, it could be due to a gas leak.

Evacuations during the night, the prefect is on site

Showing signs of weakness, one of the two buildings had been evacuated last night. The firefighters and the municipal police were alerted during the night by a resident who, on returning from the evening, had noticed cracks. They arrived around 3:30 a.m. The tenants of two apartments spent the night in a hotel and those of a third were rehoused with their families. A fourth apartment was inhabited but no one was there.

“The first information I have is that there may not be a victim,” said Violette Spillebout, MP for the North, on BFMTV. “It’s a collapse of two entire buildings, it’s very impressive. […] I know the prefect is there. Gérald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior, is effectively mobilized because it is our area so all elected officials are mobilized, ”she adds. The collapsed buildings are in “two parts”, specifies the deputy. “A part formerly France-Loisirs which was empty and then a part which was under construction, there was scaffolding”.

More information to come on Point.