Frédéric Michel (special envoy to Marseille) 13:19 pm, April 10, 2023

A four-storey apartment building collapsed in the night from Saturday to Sunday in the center of Marseille, killing at least four people. The inhabitants of the Phocaean city are mobilizing to help the relief and the victims of the disaster.

REPORT

In Marseille, following the collapse of a four-storey apartment building that caused the death of four people on the night of Saturday to Sunday, the emotion is immense. The inhabitants have the impression of reliving the nightmare of the rue d'Aubagne in 2018. The people of Marseille immediately mobilized to provide help, each at its own level.

Mutual aid for traders

From the first hours after the tragedy, the Marseillais mobilized. Like Adrien, the owner of a bar located a few meters from the collapsed buildings.

"Here, the bar is above all a social link before being a business. We decided to stay open on purpose for them, usually we close on Sunday afternoons. This allowed the residents of the neighborhood to meet and then talk about what happened. Everyone really helps each other. There is a real solidarity," he told Europe 1.

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In one of the neighborhood's bakeries, residents spontaneously come to pay for coffees and croissants for relief. "We had a gentleman on Sunday who made us a huge donation of 500 euros and we have many customers who have set up themselves pastries, coffees to offer them to the rescue, knowing that we also offer a breakfast to the rescuers. That's Marseille, we are in solidarity," says Erika, one of the bakery's saleswomen.

Neighbourhood solidarity

The inhabitants are also in solidarity with the Plaine, the district affected by the explosion. Frédéric has lived there for 20 years: "I'm in a WhatsApp group, we communicated with the parents to see if people needed anything. Everyone made themselves available to help or give things. Personally, we feel touched. It's a neighborhood where we regularly meet people at the market, in shops, when it touches people we have met in the street, it still does something."

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In total, 30 buildings were evacuated and 200 people were relocated by the town hall or welcomed into their families.