France: Nine bodies found after fire at holiday home for disabled people

 

Nine bodies have been found and two more people are feared dead after a fire at a holiday home hosting people with learning disabilities in France.

Nearly 80 firefighters were sent to the blaze in La Forge after emergency services were alerted at 06:30 local time (04:30 GMT) on Wednesday.

The missing people are considered "potentially deceased", according to a local official.

The fire has now been extinguished, but its cause is not yet clear.

Seventeen people were evacuated from the building, while at least one person has been taken to hospital.

A search for the bodies of the two remaining missing people is under way, the head of the rescue operation told reporters.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin earlier said it was likely there were several casualties from the fire.

The fire broke out near Wintzenheim, close to the German border and about 70km (50 miles) south of the city of Strasbourg.  

In an update at midday local time, the local government for the Haut-Rhin region said the cottage was being used by two groups of adults from two separate charities helping people with disabilities.

In an earlier statement, it said one group was from Nancy, also in eastern France.

Four fire engines and 76 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze. It was quickly brought under under control, despite the strength of the fire, the statement added.

The head of the Bas-Rhin prefecture said all 11 people initially reported missing in the fire were now considered "potentially deceased", AFP reports.

Christophe Marot said those on the ground floor were able to quickly leave the building, but people upstairs could not.

French President Emmanuel Macron said his thoughts were with the victims and their families and thanked the emergency services for responding to the "tragedy".

French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne and Families Minister Aurore Bergé are on their way to Wintzenheim.

Photographs published in local media show the partially wooden cottage in La Forge almost entirely ablaze early on Wednesday morning.

The building is an old barn converted into a three-storey holiday home. Firefighters said two-thirds of it was on fire before they managed to bring it under control.   

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66447519