“It’s a miracle” that there were no fatalities, the mayor reacted

Several apartments were affected by a fire on Saturday evening, in Rillieux-la-Pape (Rhône), during the shooting of a music video at the foot of a building.

“This is a miracle” that there were no casualties, reacted Monday, November 10 in franceinfo Alexandre Vincendet, mayor of Horizons Rillieux-la-Pape, northeast of Lyon, after a fire destroyed a building in his town on Saturday evening, in between the illegal filming of a rap clip and clashes with the police. According to authorities, it was mortar fire from fireworks aimed at police that started the fire in the building.

According to Alexandre Vincendet, this fact was fully recorded by the surveillance cameras that had just been installed. “Fortunately, we had pictures, cameras that recorded it all”he said. “As soon as they saw the police, it was very clear on camera, they set off their mortars, they shot at the police.”mayor’s testimony.

Police responded with tear gas to disperse participants in the clip. “But they were so attacked by mortar fire that some people arrived directly on the balcony.”continued Alexandre Vincendet.

At least five apartments were destroyed, some more than 60%. “There are 39 people who need to be relocated. There are women, there are children, there are babies.”elected officials said. “I doubt residents will be able to return to their homes quickly”he added.

Some families were housed by relatives or in emergency accommodation provided by city hall. “They will benefit from the city’s support and assistance, as much as possible, and for as long as possible”said the Mayor welcomingly “a real wave of solidarity” from its residents. “City hall will concentrate all aid for donations as some have lost everything”he added.

An investigation was opened by the Lyon prosecutor’s office. According to the mayor, cameras installed 24 hours before the incident made it possible to identify individuals involved in the violence committed on Halloween night. “They have the same mask and the same disguise. Even if I don’t know who the mastermind is, we can still strongly imagine that they are the same people, who, in the space of a few days, created the problem.”he stressed. The mayor clarified that the rapper was behind the shooting “not from the city”But “someone who has had dealings with the police before.”

Lastly, Alexandre Vincendet strongly criticized certain local opposition elected officials associated with the La France insoumise. “On social networks, they tried to challenge the existing version of the facts, including by saying that I was the one who made up that the firefighters were greeted with paving stones while the representatives of the firefighters’ union said it themselves, it’s an absolute scandal. Disgusting”he estimated.