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(Rennes) A volunteer from the diocese, who had been arrested after the fire in Nantes cathedral on 17 July, was indicted and remanded in custody overnight from Saturday to Sunday, the Nantes public prosecutor announced on Sunday.
France Media Agency
Placed in custody on Saturday morning, he was indicted "on charges of destruction and damage by fire and placed in pre-trial detention by the judge freedoms and detention, "said Pierre Sennès in an email.
The man of 31 years old, a Rwandan national, was arrested in the wake of the fire and released the next day without prosecution as part of the investigation opened for "arson" by the prosecution.
The volunteer, who intervenes during masses as an altar servant, "came to take refuge in France a few years ago", had then explained to AFP the rector of the cathedral of Nantes, Father Hubert Champenois.
"The developments of the investigation [...] led to the arrest of this same person today (Saturday) 24 July 2020 at 6 a.m. 13 and his placement in police custody, "the prosecutor explained on Saturday evening. "The first results communicated by the central laboratory of the Prefecture of police of Paris lead to privilege the criminal track", he had indicated.
"Three points of fire"
The investigation revealed the existence of three distinct fire starting points in the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral. "Between the great organ, which is on the facade on the first floor and the other lights, you have almost the entire distance to the cathedral. They are still at a substantial distance from each other, "the prosecutor noted on the day of the fire.
The alert was given on 18 July around 7 a.m. 41 (1 h 45, HE) by passers-by who had seen flames coming out of the building. It took the firefighters about two hours to contain the fire, which notably destroyed a 19th century painting by Hippolyte Flandrin and the great organ.
Apart from the great organ of which "very few, if at all elements" could be saved, according to Philippe Charron, the head of the heritage department at the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs, "most of the works have been saved" and are stored "in particular in the Château de Nantes".
"We will count in weeks the security of the site, [...] in months the investigation which will be done stone by stone" and , concerning the duration of the reconstruction site preceded by a study phase, "there, the unit will rather be the year", estimated Mr. Charron.
The State "will take its full part" in the reconstruction, promised Prime Minister Jean Castex, went to Nantes to congratulate the firefighters on the day of tragedy.
The fire at Nantes cathedral, which occurred 11 Month after that of Notre-Dame de Paris, aroused great emotion among the people of Nantes, some of whom have remembered a previous fire in the building, the 25 January 1972.
The construction of this cathedral, of flamboyant Gothic style, lasted several centuries (from 1434 at 1891).
