Wintzenheim fire: the fire was allegedly caused by a candle, the owner sent to prison

The fire which killed 11 people in a gîte in Wintzenheim (Haut-Rhin), most of them disabled adults, in the summer of 2023, was allegedly caused by “a candle lit by one of the deceased entertainers”, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. “The origin of the fire seemed to be a candle lit by one of the deceased hosts which set the living room and then the building as a whole ablaze,” we learned on Wednesday from the Paris prosecutor's office.

However, the collective accidents unit of the Paris public prosecutor's office, responsible for the investigation, requested, on September 10, the referral to the criminal court of the owner of the lodges and her company managing the accommodation for "involuntary homicides" of 11 people and "unintentional injuries" of 17 victims. “The owner” and her company “had created or contributed to creating the situation which allowed the damage to occur or had not taken measures to avoid it,” said the prosecution.

He is accused in particular of having operated an establishment open to the public “without authorization, by not declaring the destination of the building or the capacity to accommodate the public” and of not having respected, “deliberately”, “the regulations relating to this type of establishment” and in particular with regard to standards relating to fire safety.

Eleven dead in an undeclared shelter

Its maintenance under judicial supervision was required, with the obligation to provide a deposit of 15,000 euros for the owner and 55 euros for her company. It is also prohibited from operating or managing any category of tourist residence.

On August 9, 2023, 10 adults with mild mental disabilities and a companion died during the fire at the lodge. They were aged from 23 to around fifty and their names were Jennifer, Claude, Jimmy, Jérôme, Marcelle, Laure, Fatima, Jérôme, Régis, Christelle and Thibaud, the guide.