In the early morning of Thursday, October 3, 2024, a fire broke out inside the Saint-Hilaire church in Poitiers. Around twenty firefighters are on site. The fire is under control.Around twenty firefighters have been working inside the Saint-Hilaire church in Poitiers in the street of the same name since early morning on Thursday, October 3, 2024.
The headmistress of the neighbouring Saint-Hilaire school raised the alarm when she saw smoke, and the firefighters identified the source of the fire in the middle of the nave when they entered the building, but nevertheless checked the entire extensive building up to the bell tower.
Several municipal representatives were on site, as was the prefect Jean-Marie Girier.
Staff from the city’s heritage department were also present to draw up a list of items to be saved inside, and the regional directorate of cultural affairs was out this morning to support them after the fire.
Saint-Hilaire is one of the oldest churches in Poitiers and dates back to the 10th century. Like almost every day, the church was closed by a person from the community on Wednesday evening and was still not open again on Thursday morning.
At around 10 a.m., the fire brigade announced that the fire was under control, but that it would now be necessary to use fans to remove the smoke. The main source of the fire was localised in the nave, possibly in the area of the central altar.
The police are also on site to determine the cause of the fire. ‘It is important not to jump to conclusions,’ said the mayor of Poitiers, Léonore Moncond’huy, who was present at the scene.
Centre Presse : Poitiers : un incendie dans l’église Saint-Hilaire (centre-presse.fr)
The public prosecutor’s office in Poitiers announced on Thursday afternoon that it had opened an investigation into wilful damage to a cultural asset. The Poitiers police department has been tasked with the investigation. The investigation ‘must make it possible to identify those responsible for this offence’, wrote the city council of Poitiers in a press release. (…) There is an urgent need to put an end to this series of vandalisations that have been detected in the churches of Poitiers (Saint Porchaire, Sainte Thérèse, Montierneuf).’