The collapsed roof of number 4 on rue Cujas, in Toulouse.
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SDIS31 / G. Sfilio - X. Rivière
In recent months, the interventions of firefighters have multiplied in the city center for the risk of collapse, due to water infiltration or substandard work.
Last year, the municipal service responsible for building security recorded 186 reports, against 116 reports two years earlier.
If since the drama of the rue d'Aubagne in Marseille, people are more sensitive to these questions, the number of orders for "imminent danger" remains limited, six were taken by the town hall in 2020.
Two weeks ago, the inhabitants of a building in the Saint-Aubin district, in Toulouse, were evacuated from their apartments as a precaution.
A crack in a wall had suggested to the firefighters a risk of collapse.
After checking, members of the Haute-Garonne departmental fire and rescue service realized that it was a false alarm.
That is not always the case.
In 2019, rue Cujas, the roof of an unoccupied building collapsed, requiring the temporary evacuation of four other adjacent buildings.
This time, after receiving the opinion of the experts in structure mandated by the administrative court, the town hall had issued a decree of "imminent danger".
⚠️After the collapse of the roof of a building located 4 rue #Cujas on Friday, November 29, the Town Hall of #Toulouse issued a decree of imminent danger.
This decree maintains the ban on living in and accessing certain buildings located in the street 👉🏻 https://t.co/BXkx955i17 pic.twitter.com/iGNW8czze5
- Toulouse City Hall (@Toulouse) December 3, 2019
Last year, in the heart of summer, in a building under renovation on rue de la Fonderie, the first floor floor collapsed.
At the end of the year, in quick succession, the firefighters had to intervene on rue du Fourbastard for a subsidence of the terrace, then rue Joly, for the partial collapse of a wall between two houses.
Still in the city center, which concentrates old buildings and aging housing.
If each time, the worst has been avoided, since the tragedy of the rue d'Aubagne in Marseille, the risks are far from being neglected, both by the public authorities, but also the inhabitants who multiply the reports.
186 reports last year
Last year, the municipal service responsible for building security recorded 186 reports, against 116 reports in 2018 and 170 in 2019. Since the start of the year, this figure has already reached 41 reports.
“The number of reports has been on the rise since what happened in Marseille in November 2018, people got scared and aware of being sometimes in old buildings.
They therefore call the town hall.
As soon as we are seized, we go on site very often it turns out that it is nothing, the structure is not in danger ”, assures Claire Nison, municipal councilor in charge of buildings threatening ruin.
If recent problems are due in particular to water infiltration or non-compliant work, it remains quite rare that this leads to orders of imminent danger.
In 2020, six were taken by the town hall, there were two contradictory procedures and ten orders prohibiting living.
Six times, the town hall appealed to the court to enforce these decrees.
Since the beginning of the year, there has been a decree of imminent danger and a decree prohibiting living.
Our Toulouse file
Measures taken when the town hall can intervene.
Because as it is private property, its services cannot intervene inside buildings like that when it does not threaten the public domain.
“But since January, the law has changed and facilitates formal notices to speed up safety procedures.
We have also started the inventory of buildings, ”continues the elected representative in charge of these issues.
As soon as there is suspicion, the services launch an amicable procedure through letters and phone calls, before having recourse to legal proceedings.
Marseilles
Marseille: Reports to justice for undignified housing increased in 2020
Bordeaux
Bordeaux: Evacuation of a building that threatens to collapse in the historic center
Unsanitary
Society
Collapse
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Toulouse