Fatal fire in Charente: could the gîte accommodate disabled people?

According to the Charente prefecture and the Minister Delegate for the Elderly and People with Disabilities, the organizer of the adapted vacation and the owners of the cottage were in compliance. This did not prevent the tragedy in the commune of Montmoreau in Charente on July 28.

The causes of the fatal fire in Montmoreau, Charente, are currently unknown. Were the owners of the gîte able to accommodate people with mental disabilities? "Yes," according to Angoulême sub-prefect Jean-Charles Jobart: "This facility was inspected two years ago by government services. During the investigation, no problems were found. Fire extinguishers and smoke detectors were present." The organization that organized this adapted vacation stay, the UFCV association, is accredited.

According to the state representative, the inspection of this private building was not mandatory "since it accommodates fewer than 12 people." Charlotte Parmentier-Lecocq, Minister Delegate for People with Disabilities, noted that an official inspection had nevertheless been carried out after the Wintzenheim tragedy in August 2023. This inspection was only carried out in one part of the farmhouse. However, the fire on July 28 spread to another wing of the cottage where most of the vacationers were sleeping soundly. "A declaration of stay had been sent to the administration for this part of the building. The owners were therefore in order," added the Minister Delegate. Investigators will have to determine whether smoke detectors and fire extinguishers were present in these rooms.

Should regulations be changed and physical checks made systematic in properties catering to a specific public? Even in small buildings? This is what user associations are demanding. "We're not going to review all the rules, but we can clarify them," the government member stated. "We're working on these issues."

The minister wants to strengthen training for supervisors, "particularly in first aid." Among the four people involved, not all had received this specific training. "But they all had a minimum of experience; it wasn't their first trip." The owner, the husband of one of the victims, was also part of the supervisory team.