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Nantes Cathedral fire: Arson investigation after blaze at 15th-century French church


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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/nantes-cathedral-fire-saint-pierre-paul-france-damage-church-today-a9625946.html

An arson investigation has been launched after a major fire broke out in a historic French cathedral.

The blaze blew out stained glass windows and destroyed the grand organ in the 15th-century building in the city of Nantes, officials said.

Saturday's incident is being treated as a criminal act, a prosecutor said at the scene. Pierre Sennes said three fires had been started at the site...

 

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...The fire broke out inside the cathedral behind the grand organ, which was completely destroyed, local fire chief Laurent Ferlay said.

Stained glassed windows at the front of the cathedral were blown out.

Mr Ferlay told reporters on Saturday morning more than 100 firefighters were still at the site to ensure the blaze was completely under control.

However, the damage was not as bad as initially feared.

"We are not in a Notre Dame de Paris scenario. The roof has not been touched," Mr Ferlay said....(snip)

 

Hello friends, rumors of police now raiding the nearby gym Nantes.

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Welp.

 

 

A volunteer at the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral in Nantes has been detained after a fire tore through the building, officials say. 

The Rwandan refugee was in charge of locking up the day before the blaze destroyed stained glass windows and the grand organ inside. 

A lawyer for the man said there was "nothing to link" him to the fire.

Prosecutors said they wanted to clear up inconsistencies and that it would be "premature" to think he had a role.

"We must remain careful as to the interpretation of this police custody. It's a normal procedure," public prosecutor Pierres Sennès said. The volunteer has not been named.

Mr Sennès said the fire is believed to have been arson. Three fires were started at the site and an investigation is now under way.

Quentin Chabert, the lawyer for the refugee, said there was "nothing at this stage to link my client to the fire" and that the investigation must go on "with respect for everyone's rights and in particular those of my client".

Jean-Charles Nowak, a clerk at the cathedral, told French newspaper Le Figaro the volunteer was "a man of duty" who has health problems and "suffered a lot in Rwanda" - a country he left several years ago. The refugee had been discussing extending his visa with local officials, he said.

"I don't believe for a second that he could have set the cathedral on fire. It's a place he adores," Mr Nowak said. 

About 100 firefighters managed to stop the flames from destroying the main structure at the cathedral on Saturday. French Prime Minister Jean Castex praised their "professionalism, courage and self-control". 

The fire comes over a year after a blaze nearly destroyed Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. 

Earlier this month, French President Emmanuel Macron announced its iconic spire would be rebuilt exactly as it was, ending speculation it would be changed to a more modern style

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9 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Have these Euros never heard of sprinkler systems, Halon systems, The term fire suppression system ?  How any historical wood structure is not protected by an active system is criminal.

My brother’s grandson, a UT Cockrell Engineering grad, and now a fire marshall, is a specialist in designing fire suppression systems. I’m sure he would be glad to fix those Frenchies up.

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