LODD in France

Updated, 1:30 pm.  Photos and more complete info. added.
Update #2, Thursday morning.  FF’s name released and more fire info. added.
Update #3, Arrest made for manslaughter in actions taken.  Scroll down.

A CAREER FIREFIGHTER PERISHED THIS AFTERNOON (Wednesday) in Lanester, France.

The 29-yr.-old firefighter from the Hennebont Fire Department was killed when an explosion occurred in an apartment block in the outskirts of Lorient, according to police sources.  Another firefighter was injured during the event.

Update, 1:30 pm:
In early afternoon, firefighters were called to a fire on the roof of a 10-story apartment building. Flames and thick black smoke were showing when they arrived. The people were evacuating while a team of three firefighters went up to the roof to begin extinguishment.

Ouest France

Shortly after, a first explosion occurred. And within minutes, another more powerful explosion went and resonated throughout the city. Debris scattered around the building for many meters.

 ”It was like a bomb,” says a resident of a nearby tower. In the explosion, one of three firefighters received a serious head injury and died instantly. A second firefighter was injured and the third seems unscathed.

The origin of the explosion is believed to have come from gas cylinders stored on the roof of the building.  No names have been released yet, nor the cause of the fire.  This story will be updated when it is appropriate.

Ouest France has the EARLY DETAILS.

Update #2, Thursday morning:
The tragic explosion claimed the life of Francois Le Vouedec, 28, a career firefighter at the Hennebont fire station.  He first joined the FD as a volunteer in 2003 and had been a career FF for two years.

The firefighters had been called for a fire on the roof of the apartment block that was reported by children who saw the flames and smoke.  The children ran to warn the inhabitants of the building and the alert spread rapidly throughout the building.  All the inhabitants were leaving the premises when the fire department arrived is quick time.

A team of three firefighters went promptly to the roof where they found the fire that had started on a work site where a waterproofing project was underway.  The job site had been shut down and left for the current holidays.  As the three firefighters including Francis Vouedec arrived, the first explosion occurred.  Then a few moments later a second, much more violent explosion occurred that was heard and felt for a great distance.

The explosions have been determined to have been acetylene propane cylinders that were affected by the fire.

Ouest France has the latest REPORT.

Update #3, Friday:  Arrest made.
Following the fire in Lanester Wednesday, which claimed the life of a firefighter, an inquiry to investigate the cause of death was ordered by the prosecutor assigned to Lorient.

“The first elements of the investigation have concluded that a fire started accidentally on the project to renovate the roof of the building and that two employees engaged in waterproofing, who had been hired without prior declaration, had hurriedly left the scene without warning the inhabitants of the building, leaving behind propane cylinders, one of which exploded, killing the fireman,” said Martin, deputy prosecutor of Lorient.

The investigation is currently under criminal law definitions of manslaughter because of non-assistance to persons in danger, and hidden work.  The manager of the company that performed the work is currently in custody. Investigation is underway to identify and arrest the two workers who fled.