Two minors to face trial in December over fire at Metz school
A 12-year-old and a 13-year-old will appear before a children's judge in December over a fire that damaged a college in Metz on 2 October, prosecutors said.
Two minors, aged 12 and 13, will be tried on 8 December over a fire that partly destroyed the Francois-Rabelais secondary school in Metz on 2 October, the city's public prosecutor said, according to Franceinfo. The pair were taken into police custody last week on suspicion of "destroying another's property by means dangerous to people."
The fire started in a vehicle parked under the school's covered courtyard and spread to the sanitary block, making it unusable; the school reopened the following Monday. The 13-year-old has been placed in a closed educational centre and under judicial supervision pending the hearing, while the 12-year-old is subject to a provisional judicial educational measure, the prosecutor said.
Both minors will undergo psychiatric examinations ahead of the hearing before the children's court, prosecutor David Touvet said. Metz mayor Francois Grosdidier had linked the fire to student protests shortly after it happened, but prosecutors have not confirmed any such connection.
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What we know
- 1 outlet Two minors, aged 12 and 13, will be tried on 8 December over a fire that damaged a secondary school in Metz on 2 October, the public prosecutor said.
- 1 outlet The fire started in a vehicle under the school's covered courtyard and spread to the sanitary block, which was put out of use; the school reopened the next Monday.
- 1 outlet The 13-year-old was placed in a closed educational centre and under judicial supervision; the 12-year-old is under a provisional judicial educational measure.
- 1 outlet Both will undergo psychiatric examinations before the hearing, prosecutor David Touvet said.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed A suggested link between the fire and student protests, raised by the Metz mayor, has not been confirmed by prosecutors.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The case is one of several recent fires at French schools that officials have linked, cautiously, to a wider wave of student unrest, though prosecutors in Metz have not confirmed any connection in this instance.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- What happened at the school in Metz?
- A fire broke out under the school's covered courtyard on 2 October and spread to the sanitary block, forcing it out of use, though the school reopened days later.
- Who has been charged?
- Two minors, aged 12 and 13, are to appear before a children's judge on 8 December on suspicion of destroying property by a means dangerous to people.
- Is the fire linked to student protests?
- Metz's mayor suggested a link shortly after the fire, but prosecutors have not confirmed any connection.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.