Former hotel La Belle Créole (File photo)
BAIE NETTLE--Préfet Délégué Vincent Berton has strongly criticised the owner of former hotel La Belle Créole for allowing the property to be littered with debris which very likely caused fires to break out over the weekend. Moreover, he has issued a formal notice to the owner to maintain the site for a year.
Two separate fires broke out at the property in the early morning hours of Sunday. The scope of the fires was significant, mobilising emergency services, fire engines from La Savane fire station, as well as various security services, who intervened quickly to contain the fires.
According to the fire brigade (pompiers) some 200 metres of roofing on buildings caught fire, followed by the extinguishing of a very large amount of debris and bulky items that had accumulated and had been left to fester for a very long time.
Berton noted that debris not removed is both a fire and a health risk, a situation that occurs all too often on the territory. The cause of the fires has not yet been definitively determined. The pompiers said the Gendarmerie is also investigating the cause of the fires. The relevant departments will be contacted to take the necessary steps to resolve this situation.
Although the La Belle Créole site is privately owned and unoccupied, it must be maintained and made safe in accordance with French legal obligations, Berton emphasised.
“Lack of maintenance not only encourages fire, but also compromises the safety of local residents and hampers local economic development,” he said. “Given the persistence of this unacceptable situation, stricter measures are now being considered to ensure a rapid resolution of the problem. Public safety and urban environment must be preserved.”
