A fire in a cottage welcoming disabled people broke out on Wednesday morning. Victims would be to be deplored.
[Mise à jour le 9 août à 9h55] A violent fire broke out in the Haut-Rhin, early this Wednesday, August 9, 2023, in the town of Wintzenheim, west of Colmar. A cottage welcoming people with disabilities caught fire around 6 a.m., revealed France 3 Great East. According to the latest report from the prefecture, 300m² were ravaged by the flames, on the edge of the RD417, near the educational and pedagogical therapeutic institute (Itep) of La Forge.
Victims according to Darmanin
While 11 people are “missing” according to the same press release, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, added that “several victims would be to be deplored”, “despite the rapid and courageous intervention of the sappers- firefighters.” However, 17 people were sheltered. In addition, a person in relative emergency was evacuated to the hospital and a shocked person was taken care of.
A fire took place early this morning in a structure welcoming disabled people in Wintzenheim, in the Haut-Rhin. Despite the rapid and courageous intervention of the firefighters whom I salute, several victims are to be deplored. The intervention continues.
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) August 9, 2023
According The latest news from Alsace, the search for victims has not yet begun. The firefighters first wanted to completely control the fire, which they managed to do, thanks to the deployment of 76 men on the scene. A canine team will participate in the excavations. BFM Alsace adds that the research brigade of Colmar and the research section of Strasbourg have started the research work.