A fire broke out on rue de la Santoline on Thursday, July 18. Despite the intervention of the fire department, seven people, including three children, lost their lives. The fire is currently being investigated as a criminal act

At least seven people lost their lives in a fire in a building in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) on Wednesday night, July 18, the fire department reported. Among the victims were “three children and a teenager,” said the city’s public prosecutor, Damien Martinelli. The “criminal” lead is preferred, according to the same sources.

The prosecutor announced the opening of an investigation into arson resulting in death, saying: “In view of the initial elements, I have opened an investigation into arson resulting in death”. “We’re starting with arson,” he insisted to journalists present at the scene.

Three children and a teenager among the victims

The Nice public prosecutor said that the three children, aged 5, 7 and 10, as well as a teenager and three adults, lost their lives in the apartment fire. The seventh victim defenestrated and died.

Hugues Moutouh, prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, added that another person, currently injured, also jumped out of the window. In all, three people are injured: two in relative emergency and the third, transported in absolute emergency to the Pasteur 2 hospital.