Nice fire: an assassination linked to drug trafficking ? The investigation is progressing quickly

On Wednesday night à Thursday, a fire caused the death of seven people including four children à Nice. A flagrant investigation into arson was carried out. opened by the public prosecutor.

The essentials

• Horror in Nice. A fire broke out on the night of Wednesday 17 à Thursday July 18 at around 2:30 a.m. on the 7th floor of an apartment on rue de la Santoline, in the popular Moulins district. At least seven people died and three others were killed. injured according to information from France Bleu Azur. According to Anne Ramos, deputy mayor of Nice, the victims are “an entire family ( …) one and the same family on the top floor of the building" she confided at the microphone of BFMTV. Three young children and a teenager are among the victims.
• On site, the firefighters tried everything to do so. to save individuals trapped by the flames. Three aerial ladders were used. deployed, allowing three people to be saved.
• The criminal trail is favored. An investigation into blatant arson having led to the crime. death was é opened by the prosecutor of the Republic of Nice Damien Martinelli. "We're going on an arson" indicated&eac; the magistrate. According to the first elements of the investigation and the video surveillance images, three hooded people entered the building in the night. The trail of a pre-prepared crime, an assassination or a settling of scores that could be linked ;eacute; drug trafficking is strengthening.

Live

13:36 – "We are heartbrokené (..) three individuals are wanted" ad Gabriel Attal

"In every home in France, in every family in France, we are heartbroken", but "the investigation is progressing (…) three individuals are sought" specifies Gabriel Attal from Nice. "All means are being used to find them" he concludes.

Arrival; &agrav; Nice, the resigning Prime Minister Gabriel Attal spoke: "Tonight & Nice, seven people were arrested. killed in a terrible fire. Among these seven people, three children aged 5, 7 and 10 years old. Three children who had their lives ahead of them, whose future was at stake. to write and who will miss it. France. This fire is absolutely terrible" he declared.

13:23 – The Prime Minister describes a &quot ;abominable fire"

On site, Gabriel Attal described an "abominable fire" with terrible consequences. "Tonight à Nice, seven people were arrested. killed in a terrible fire. Among these seven people, three children aged 5, 7 and 10 years old. Three children who had their lives ahead of them, whose future was at stake. to write and who will miss it. France" specifiedé the resigning Prime Minister.

Gabriel Attal and Gérald Darmanin arrived at Nice, at the scene of the fire, around 1 p.m. The Prime Minister spoke and assured that "the investigation is progressing". "Three individuals are wanted" he saidé indicating that "all means are being used to find them".

Bruno Bartocetti, the national secretary in charge of of the southern zone of the Unit&eac; SGP Police-FO, gave his analysis à France Info: "The authors knew very well what they were doing. We weren't intimidating, we weren't provocative, we weren't there. to harm or just set fire to a trash can, we are there really to reach an entire family,” he said, very clearly evoking the hypothesis of an assassination, probably linked to ;eacute; &agrav; a settling of scores against a backdrop of drug trafficking.

12:11 – Emmanuel Macron reacts and thanks the emergency services

"&Emotion with Nice after the deadly fire in the Moulins district. I thank the state services and emergency services for their action. Our thoughts are with the victims' loved ones. We are &agrav; alongside them and alongside all the people of Niçois. United.", wrote the head of state on his social network app_edito_title_2″>11:02 – The hooded people left "in the direction of the highway"

The first deputy mayor of Nice Anthony Borré asserts at the microphone of BFMTV, after viewing the video surveillance images, that the "hoodedé then "left (' on board a vehicle) towards the motorway", "these images were of course & ;eacute; provided to the investigators and I have no doubt that they are decisive in moving the investigation forward" he explains from the palace Nikaïa whereù The victims of the fire are being taken care of.

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The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, indicates that he has images which show the situation. show very clearly that there were hooded people who, a little before 3 a.m., dispersed the crowds. gasoline in the stairwell, which caught fire" at the microphone of BFMTV. 

10:10 – How did the fire spread? ?

"Unfortunately, the fire which seems to have started from the stairwell generatedé what is called an accumulation of hot gas in the upper part of the building. And then, it is a phenomenon of generalized conflagration. according to the technical terms of the firefighters, which caused the a fire occurred on the upper floor of the building" explains Benoît Huber, chief of staff to the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes at France Bleu Azur. According to the prefecture, the fire started from the second floor, before spreading to the floors via the column below. che.

According to information from BFMTV, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Minister of the Interior G&rald Darmanin, both of whom have resigned, will go to Paris. Nice this Thursday indicates Matignon. They should arrive on site between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

09:49 – "Bouleversée", Mich&egrave ;le Tabarot sends its "sincere condolences to the bereaved families"

"Upset& eacute after this tragedy é Nice which left seven victims including three children in the fire of an apartment. Sincere condolences to the bereaved families. I salute the courageous intervention of our Firefighters who avoided the incident. an even more  dramatic” human toll underlines Michèle Tabarot, deputy for Alpes-Maritimes on X.

09:42 – Charles Anges Ginésy "speechless and in infinite sadness"

"I am speechless and in infinite sadness in the face of the tragedy of the terrible fire on Santoline Street à Nice which left 7 victims. I feel of immense support for their families. I also want to know salute the courage of the SDIS06 firefighters for their intervention" indicates Charles Anges Ginésy, president of the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Council on >09:31 – A 45-year-old man broke through his window, he died

This morning, six bodies were recovered. found in the apartment and “a 45-year-old man died” after being out of the window. to &eac;escape the flames" revealed Benoît Huber, chief of staff of the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes in the columns of France Bleu Azur. At least 10 people were inside ; Inside the damaged apartment, it was a family of Comorian origin. 

09:20 – The Marseille scientific police have arrived

BFMTV indicates the presence of the Marseille forensic laboratory at the scene of the fire. Technical and scientific police officers are also deployed to carry out surveys and try to determine whether the fire is of criminal origin or not . The specialists have not yet been able to enter the damaged apartment. which is still being secured by the firefighters, this Thursday, July 18 at around 9:20 a.m.

The video surveillance images clearly show the entry of three hooded people into the building concerned; by the fire. Information which has just been confirmed by the first deputy mayor of Nice, Anthony Borré, who visited the site this Thursday morning.

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Seven victims and one person in absolute emergency

In total, seven people died, one was killed. transported in absolute emergency to Pasteur 2 hospital, and two others, including one in relative emergency, were taken to hospital. sent to the Lenval hospital center. The fire clearly did not spread; in the other apartments of the building. The stairwell remains inaccessible, 33 evacuated people will now be evacuated. rehouse according to local authority. The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes Hugues Moutouh clarified this Thursday morning “that there were 10 people at the camp.” inside the apartment. All are from the same family or have family ties" from BFMTV. The deceased family was of Comorian origin.

"We're starting an arson" assures the prosecutor

On "the deaths of at least three young children" among the seven victims. Another minor died, a teenager. A friend of the family affected by this fire told BFMTV on site that she “did not have the means to go out”. (…) As soon as I arrived, I saw the firefighters on site. They couldn't tell me anything, they just told me that there were two people who survived.

The criminal trail is privileged. An investigation into blatant arson having led to the murder death was é opened by the prosecutor of the Republic of Nice Damien Martinelli. "We're going on an arson" indicated&eac; the magistrate. A crisis unit to welcome families will now be set up. announced the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi sur quot;thoughts" to the relatives of the victims. "Immense éemotion à following a terrible fire in the Moulins & Nice" position on his side the deputy and departmental advisor of the Alpes Maritimes, Éric Ciotti.