A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday at a holiday retreat for adults with disabilities in France, resulting in the loss of nine lives and leaving two individuals feared dead, according to local authorities. The tragic fire ignited at approximately 6:30 a.m. local time (12:30 a.m. ET) within a private residence located in La Forge, near Wintzenheim and close to the border with Germany. The vacation home was accommodating a group of adults from Nancy, along with two associations dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities, as announced by the Haut-Rhin government.
Initial reports from Haut-Rhin officials indicated that eleven individuals were unaccounted for following the blaze. Lieutenant-Colonel Philippe Hauwiller, who led the firefighting and rescue operations, informed the media that, thus far, nine bodies have been discovered. However, the search for the remaining missing individuals has been hampered by the severity of the fire’s impact. Fortunately, those occupying the ground floor managed to swiftly evacuate upon the outbreak of the fire.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, according to Hauwiller.
By midday local time (6 a.m. ET), authorities had gained control over the “intense” fire. The evacuation process involved seventeen individuals, one of whom required hospitalization, while another was in a state of shock, as reported in the initial statement from the state government. The firefighting efforts involved a total of 76 firefighters, supported by four fire trucks, four ambulances, and three aerial ladders.
French President Emmanuel Macron conveyed his condolences and thoughts for the victims, the injured, and their families via a tweet: “Faced with this tragedy, my thoughts go out to the victims, to the injured, to their loved ones. Thank you to our security forces and our mobilized emergency services.”
Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne also expressed her sorrow, noting her impending visit to the scene and acknowledging the valiant efforts of the firefighters in the wake of the “terrible fire.”
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Mathieu Klein, the Mayor of Nancy, offered his sympathies to the affected families, conveying his deep sadness over the tragic fire that unfolded in Wintzenheim that morning.