Firefighter badly burned by barricade explosion at Bordeaux school protest
A Bordeaux firefighter suffered burns to his legs when an aerosol can exploded in a barricade fire during Tuesday's high-school blockade protests, prompting a police investigation.
A firefighter in Bordeaux was engulfed in flames on Tuesday when a burning barricade he was working to put out exploded, according to Le Figaro and La Dépêche du Midi. Gironde fire services said the blast was caused by an aerosol can that had been thrown into the fire. The incident happened at around 12:30 local time on Rue Sainte-Catherine, close to the blockaded Lycée Montaigne.
The firefighter suffered burns to his legs and other parts of his body, La Dépêche du Midi reported. He was taken to Bordeaux's university hospital and discharged later the same afternoon. Gironde's prefecture said he had been given several days' sick leave.
Police have opened an investigation for arson causing serious injury, according to La Dépêche du Midi. Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas condemned the incident in a statement, saying no protest could justify putting at risk those who come to the public's aid.
The barricade stood at the entrance to Lycée Montaigne, which pupils had occupied since the morning as part of a nationwide school blockade movement. Students from other Bordeaux schools, including Lycée François-Mauriac and Lycée Magendie, joined the demonstration. Two earlier fires at the same site had already prompted two separate fire brigade call-outs that day, La Dépêche du Midi said.
The blockade formed part of a nationwide strike by public-sector workers on Tuesday against planned government budget cuts. The explosion happened shortly before a union march set off from Place de la République, about 500 metres away. Affected schools in Bordeaux were unblocked later in the afternoon as the situation calmed, La Dépêche du Midi reported.
What we know
- A firefighter was engulfed in flames on Rue Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux on Tuesday when a barricade fire exploded, according to Le Figaro and La Dépêche du Midi.
- Gironde fire services said the blast was caused by an aerosol can thrown into the fire.
- The firefighter suffered burns to his legs and body, was taken to hospital and discharged the same afternoon, La Dépêche du Midi reported.
- He was given several days' sick leave, the Gironde prefecture said.
- Police have opened an investigation for arson causing serious injury.
- The barricade stood outside the blockaded Lycée Montaigne, part of a nationwide school and public-sector strike.
Not yet confirmed
- Whether the exploded object was definitely an aerosol can has not been confirmed by police, only by fire service sources.
Why it matters for Europe
The injury happened during a nationwide day of unrest, as students blockaded schools and public-sector workers struck against planned government budget cuts across France. Two earlier fires at the same barricade had already needed two separate fire brigade call-outs that day, before the blast that injured the firefighter.
Gironde's prefecture and the regional education authority issued a joint statement condemning the attack, pointing to the risk faced by emergency crews called to protest-related fires.
Sources
Reported by 4 reports from 4 independent outlets in 1 countries.
- 20 Minutes: Bordeaux : Un pompier blessé par l’explosion d’une barricade enflammée pendant la manifestation
- BFMTV: Blocage des lycées: un pompier blessé après l'explosion d'un aérosol à Bordeaux
- Le Figaro: Devant un lycée bloqué à Bordeaux, l’explosion d’une barricade transforme un pompier en torche humaine
- La Dépêche du Midi: VIDÉO. Un pompier prend feu après l'explosion d'un aérosol dans la rue : il intervenait sur une barricade en marge d'un blocus lycéen à Bordeaux
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Questions and answers
- What happened to the firefighter in Bordeaux?
- He was engulfed in flames when a barricade fire exploded on Rue Sainte-Catherine on Tuesday, suffering burns to his legs and body, according to La Dépêche du Midi.
- What caused the explosion?
- Gironde fire services said the blast was caused by an aerosol can that had been thrown into the fire, though this has not been officially confirmed by police.
- Has anyone been arrested?
- Police have opened an investigation for arson causing serious injury; no arrests have been reported.
This article was written with AI assistance from 4 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.