Deputy Prosecutor Nathalie Kielwasser confirmed at a press conference that a fire at an old, renovated farmhouse in the north-eastern French town of Wintzenheim resulted in the tragic loss of 11 lives. The victims included a caretaker and 10 adults with mild mental disabilities who were vacationing at the location. According to the first investigations, the cause of the fire is presumed to be smoldering combustion, although the exact causes are still being examined.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences to the victims, injured, and affected families through the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). Meanwhile, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne expressed her sadness and solidarity at the scene of the incident and announced an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the event.
The renovated farm, which had an area of 500 square meters and two floors plus a loft, was affected by the fire, which started on the ground floor. Of the 28 people present at the scene, only 17 were able to be evacuated, and the fire was quickly brought under control despite its intensity.
The authorities deployed a team of 76 firefighters, firefighting vehicles, and ambulances, as well as 40 gendarmes, to deal with the emergency and provide care to the victims. The tragic event has moved the local community, and an ecumenical ceremony has been announced in the Saint-Laurent church in memory of the victims.
This unfortunate incident adds to other similar disasters in France, including the fire at the Cuba Libre bar in Rouen in 2016, where 14 people lost their lives in similar circumstances.