In the early hours of Thursday, July 18 a devastating fire broke out in an apartment in the Moulins district of Nice, around 2:30 a.m. Emergency services quickly responded to the blaze on rue de la Santoline, but the fire had already ravaged the building in the west of Nice.
The fire tragically claimed the lives of seven members of the same Comorian family, including three adults, a teenager, and children aged 5, 7, and 10. Two people jumped out of windows, only one survived.
An investigation into the incident has been launched, with the prosecutor currently favouring arson of criminal origin. At the time of writing, three wanted individuals remain on the run.
In the wake of this tragedy, HSH Prince Albert sent a heartfelt message to Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi, expressing his condolences. “It is with deep sadness and great emotion that I learned the tragic news of the deadly fire that broke out in a building in Nice last night. In this painful circumstance, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and to all those affected by this disaster,” wrote the sovereign, adding that “I also have a special thought for the firefighters and all the emergency services who courageously fought against the flames in difficult conditions. Please accept, Mr. Mayor, the assurance of my feelings of solidarity in this ordeal.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Estrosi made a statement on social media, along with a caption that reads; “I would like to express all my compassion towards this exemplary family who experienced the horror last night. Collateral victims of lawless individuals. I hope that these barbarians will be found as quickly as possible and sentenced for the rest of their lives.”