Deux-Sèvres house fire leaves three dead after vegetation blaze

08:49

By: Sahili Aya

Deux-Sèvres house fire leaves three dead after vegetation blaze

Three people have died after a house was destroyed by a fire that began in nearby vegetation in the Deux-Sèvres department, according to French authorities and a source close to the investigation.

Two bodies were discovered in the ruins of the property on Tuesday evening, while a third victim was found on Wednesday morning.

The tragedy occurred in Lhoumois, a small rural commune located around 50 kilometres west of Poitiers.

Fire spreads from nearby field

Gendarmes were called to the area at around 4:10 p.m. Tuesday after several fires were reported in a field near the village.

The flames subsequently reached a nearby house, which was severely damaged by the blaze.

When investigators searched the ruins, they discovered two bodies that had been badly burned and could not initially be identified.

A third body was located during further searches on Wednesday morning.

Investigation underway

The circumstances surrounding the outbreak of the vegetation fires remain under investigation.

Authorities will have to determine how the fires started and establish the exact sequence of events that led the flames to the residential property.

The identities of the victims had not initially been established because of the condition of the remains.

Investigators are expected to examine the scene and gather evidence to establish both the origin of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

A small rural community affected

Lhoumois is a small commune of around 150 inhabitants, making the incident particularly significant for the local community.

The discovery of three victims has added a tragic dimension to what began as a series of fires in nearby vegetation.

As investigations continue, authorities are focusing on reconstructing the progression of the blaze and determining whether any human factor contributed to its outbreak.