In Saint-Omer, the bell tower of the Immaculée-Conception church collapses due to a “major fire”

The church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais) was hit by a violent fire of unknown origin on the evening of Sunday 1^Ahem on Monday, September 2, and its bell tower collapsed, announced the prefecture of Pas-de-Calais on Monday, September 2.

Around 4:30 am, a “big fire” The shooting took place inside the religious building, the prefecture said in a press release. Thanks to the action of 90 firefighters, the fire was contained on Monday morning, but the church tower collapsed, the prefecture said. No one was injured but “About fifty residents who lived near the building were evacuated as a precaution”.

An investigation must be opened

The origin of the fire is unknown. An investigation must be opened under the authority of the Saint-Omer prosecutor, the prefecture said.

“We stand with all our fellow citizens who have already been severely affected by the winter floods”“This is the reaction of the national secretary of the Ecologists and regional councillor for Hauts-de-France, Marine Tondelier, on the social network X to the speech of the mayor of Saint-Omer, François Decoster.

Inaugurated in 1859, the church had been “fully restored and reopened in 2018”According to the tourist office website. The site specifies that it includes “Remarkable furniture of neo-Gothic inspiration”. According to the prefecture, “The art protection unit has been hired, but no works of art have yet been identified at the site.”.