The town hall of the 12th arrondissement of Paris was damaged by a spectacular fire which set its bell tower about thirty meters high on the night of Sunday January 26 to Monday January 27, mobilizing significant firefighting resources. The disaster, the origin of which is still undetermined, did not cause any casualties, according to the authorities.
The fire was “under control” after a little more than three hours of intervention, a spokesperson for the Paris fire brigade (BSPP) told AFP, which was alerted around 3:20 a.m. and committed around sixty vehicles and 150 firefighters. Seven fire hoses and ladders were also deployed to fight the flames threatening this 19th century building located in the southeast of the capital.
The “roof fire” “attacked” the 36-meter bell tower capping the building, according to Lieutenant Matthieu Lamouliatte, communications officer of the BSPP. “Uncertainty remains about the stability of the spire, which still threatens to collapse,” police prefect Laurent Nuñez said on RTL at 7:40 a.m., estimating that “it will probably take several days to assess all of this.” The origin of the fire is not known but “at this stage, I have no reason to think that it is criminal”, noted the prefect.
“The four pillars of the belfry were not affected,” Lieutenant Lamouliatte told the press on site. “The architects of Paris town hall are taking over to find out if the spire is going to lie down and tip over,” he added around 8:20 a.m., indicating that it was no longer in danger of collapsing. Regarding the damage, “there is a hole just behind the belfry, eaten away by the flames,” said the firefighter.
Large security perimeter
The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo deplored this “violent fire” at the 12th town hall, “igniting its bell tower and damaging the roof”. “Thank you so much to the Paris firefighters who are currently fighting with the flames,” she posted on Instagram overnight.
According to an AFP journalist on site, a large security perimeter was established by the police around the imposing building dating from 1876. Around 7:30 a.m., no flames were visible but small incandescent elements fell to the ground. A little smoke was still escaping from the campanile which was glowing in places at its top, leading the firefighters to once again activate a water hose in its direction, downwind. A strong smell of burning permeated the adjacent streets.
“The fire spread with the wind and everything is flooded because it continued to rain,” a local resident, who did not give her name, told AFP, confiding that she had been warned of the disaster around 06:00 and having been reassured to learn that the town hall guard was “safe”.
Firefighters “at the bedside” of the building
As the building is not adjoining any building, the fire presented no risk of spreading to other buildings. The firefighters, who were still working on the zinc roof of the town hall shortly before 8:30 a.m., planned to remain “at the bedside” of the building for a good part of the day Monday, according to Lieutenant Lamouliatte. “Inside, under the roof, we will have to evacuate the water” spilled, he indicated.
Around 9:00 a.m., firefighters maintained aerial and reconnaissance resources in the building, with thermal cameras, while reducing the intervention system. The BSPP has engaged its module specializing in the conservation of works, which has already “taken out of the civil status registers” and “moved furniture”, according to Lieutenant Lamouliatte.