One person died and ten others were injured in a fire that spread rapidly upwards from a second-floor flat to the top of an 18-storey tower block in Roubaix, France, apparently via its flammable outer cladding, penetrating other apartments.
A hundred firefighters and 15 appliances attended the fire that started around 3pm on 14 May 2012, at the Mermoz Tower on Rue Dunant in the northern French town of Roubaix. The building and a nearby school were evacuated, and the crew brought the fire under control by 4.30pm.
The victim was an elderly lady and one of the residents was seriously injured. Four apartments were directly affected by the fire, but as the building is now uninhabitable, all 250 residents are being rehoused locally. The building, also know as the Aviator Tower, is reportedly owned by a social landlord organisation.
Although the cause of the fire is as yet undetermined, there has been some speculation that it may have started accidentally, possibly from some work being carried out on the building facade at first or second floor level.
Footage filmed from neighbouring building records the dramatic upwards spread of the fire from its origin to the top of the 18-floor building, apparently fuelled by its highly flammable outer cladding.
Source - FPA
Source - FPA
No comments:
Post a Comment