A 15-year-old minor has been placed under formal investigation in France following a fatal July wildfire near the Bordeaux-Mérignac airport that claimed the lives of two professional firefighters, according to judicial sources cited by 20Minutes.
The tragic blaze occurred on July 21, claiming the lives of Wilfried Schmitter and Anthony Berthôme, both 34-year-old professional firefighters attached to the Saint-Médard-en-Jalles station, as reported by FranceInfo. The 15-year-old was placed in a closed educational facility on Thursday following his appearance before authorities, as judicial inquiries continue into how the deadly pine forest fire started.
Arrests and Judicial Proceedings in Gironde
Investigators detained two brothers aged 15 and 22 on Wednesday in connection with the origin of the fire, according to FranceInfo. During police questioning, the younger brother exonerated his older sibling. Authorities subsequently released the 22-year-old brother without charges, while the 15-year-old was referred to magistrates and placed in a closed educational facility.
The judicial investigation into the deadly blaze has involved a significant investigative deployment. According to FranceInfo, the case was assigned to a very substantial team of investigators from specialized and organized crime units, supported by the territorial criminal division and five forensic police officers.
The July 21 Tragedy at Bordeaux-Mérignac
Adjudants Wilfried Schmitter and Anthony Berthôme died on Tuesday, July 21, while battling a fast-moving fire in a plot of pine trees near the Bordeaux-Mérignac airport in the Gironde department, as detailed by 20Minutes and FranceInfo. Marc Vermeulen, director of the Gironde Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS), explained that the victims’ firefighting vehicle became trapped by the flames during the intervention.
In recognition of their sacrifice, both firefighters were posthumously cited to the Order of the Nation for their total commitment. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu issued the decree on the proposal of Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, honoring a civilian recognition established in 1917 for exceptional acts of devotion performed at the peril of one’s life.
Broader Strains on French Emergency Services
The deaths in Gironde followed another fatal incident weeks earlier, when a 22-year-old volunteer firefighter died fighting a fire in Savoie, highlighting a tense period for emergency personnel across France, according to 20Minutes.
Amid ongoing concerns regarding equipment and operational resources, representatives from all nine SDIS labor unions met with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez for nearly two hours. Expressing deep disappointment with the government’s commitments, union representatives announced plans for a national mobilization in September.
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