The mayor of Lille Martine Aubry warned Friday the owners who let their buildings deteriorate, explaining that three buildings evacuated at the end of November, a few days after the deadly collapse of two buildings in the city center, suffered from “major defects of maintenance “.
I want to tell the owners that you have the responsibility to keep your building in good condition and therefore to carry out the work and if this is not the case, there are procedures, because we are endangering the life of others, said the elected socialist at a press conference to take stock of the many reports received by the town hall since the collapse of November 12 rue Pierre Mauroy.
Being an owner, you can’t improvise, is not just a question of financial investment, added the first assistant Audrey Linkenheld, in charge in particular of the ecological transition.
Out of 129 reports received, the vast majority do not cause concern. But the situation of three buildings vacated at the end of November rue de la Monnaie, in Old Lille, is on the other hand extremely worrying, with a risk of collapse, according to Ms. Aubry. Their inhabitants will have to move before heavy work, which the owners will finance.
Martine Aubry deplored major maintenance defects for these buildings, including in cases where (the owners) were aware and for a long time.
Saturday, November 12, two small adjoining buildings had collapsed rue Pierre Mauroy, a very busy shopping street in the city center.
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The first building, dating from the 18th century, had been vacated the previous night after an alert given by students. A doctor who had been in the second building had been found dead in the rubble.
An investigation has been opened for endangering the lives of others and manslaughter.
On Thursday, the police called on anyone who was in the immediate vicinity of the scene and who considers themselves a victim and/or wishes to file a complaint to contact them.