In Marseille, the embarrassment of politicians in the face of the “nightmare”

Reserved for subscribers

The deadly collapse of two buildings, reminiscent of the tragedy in rue d’Aubagne in 2018, calls on politicians to exercise restraint.

From our correspondent in Marseille, Francois Tonneau

TWe have closed faces, hands in pockets, avoiding any smile, even surreptitious, when the cameras are not far away. Gathered very close to the command post of the firefighters, at the end of the rue de Tivoli where two buildings collapsed a few hours earlier in the Marseilles night, the politicians and their entourages speak in low voices, as if they were weighed down at the moment. And then there is this silence, heavy, just disturbed by the hum of the generators, this Sunday morning.

“It’s difficult, you feel overwhelmed with emotion, you don’t know how many people are under the rubble and you feel helpless. We help, we are there, but we let the rescue work,” breathes Martine Vassal in her black coat. Like the other elected officials, the pr…