Two firefighters were missing in Laon (Aisne), buried under the rubble, when they were working on the fire of a downtown building on Monday evening, the prefecture announced in the night from Monday to Tuesday.
Research operations to find them are “still underway” according to a situation in the prefecture broadcast at 7:30 am, adding that there are no other victims.
What happened?
The firefighters of the Aisne Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) were committed from 8:45 p.m. Monday for an apartment fire in a building rue Châtelaine, in the historic center of Laon, explained the prefecture in A first point of situation at 1:30 am.
The fire broke out on the second floor of the building and it spread to the three attached buildings, specifies the civil security of Laon.
More than an hour after the start of the intervention, “a structural collapse occurred, impacting the entire building,” said the prefecture. It was then that two firefighters, who were inside the building, were trapped. Immediately, teams were mobilized to find them and extract them from the rubble.
In a second point of situation, broadcast at 7:30 am, the prefecture indicated that the research operations to find them are “still in progress”.
All the occupants of the building and the adjacent buildings were also able to be evacuated, according to the same source, which specifies that no injuries are to be deplored. Only one rehousing was made, according to a police source in the Parisian. The fire was only circumscribed at the end of the night but households remained “active” at dawn, according to civil security.
The prefect of the Aisne sent “its full support” to the teams engaged on the disaster, and invites the Laonnois “to avoid the sector and not to hinder rescue operations while respecting the security perimeter put in place”. A press point will be held at the end of research operations.
What means are mobilized?
According to the prefecture of Aisne “168 firefighters are still mobilized on the site” this Tuesday morning, with the reinforcement of the fire and rescue services (SDIS) of the following departments: North, Oise, Somme, Pas-de-Calais and Val-d’Oise.
“Specialized” technical means are also engaged, in particular exploration and clearing teams and the Colossus robot, “allowing intervention in high risk zones”, details the prefecture.
What do we know about buried firefighters?
According to civil security and the mayor of Laon, the two fire soldiers are 23 and 24 years old.
What are the reactions?
“I think of the family, but there is still hope. I have a thought for all this big family of firefighters, “said Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on France 2 this Tuesday morning.
On X, the Minister of Housing Valérie Létard sent her thoughts “to the two young fire soldiers currently missing, and sought after under the rubble, to their families, as well as in all the emergency forces hired relentlessly since the early hours”. “An assessment of the rehousing of the occupants of the building is underway, in connection with the state services and the communities,” she added.
I express all my support for the firefighters mobilized following the fire of a building that occurred this Monday evening in Laon on Monday evening.
My thoughts go to the two young fire soldiers currently missing, and sought after under the rubble, to their families, as well as all of the … https://t.co/cfoYpbHXmO
– Valérie Létard (@valerieletard) June 10, 2025
The SDIS of the Pyrénées-Orientales, “deeply touched” by this drama, wanted to express on X its “solidarity” to their colleagues in Aisne. “We share the anxiety of these heavy hours and forms the hope that they will be found as soon as possible,” he wrote.
