Fire at French holiday home for people with disabilities leaves 1 dead, 4 missing

PARIS (AP) — A fire swept through a holiday home housing people with disabilities and their carers in southwest France on Monday, killing at least 1 person, critically injuring another and leaving 4 people missing and feared dead, authorities said.

The blaze erupted at around 4:30 a.m., destroying part of the guest house in Montmoreau in the Charente region, the local prefecture said. Two dozen fire engines and around 80 fire officers rushed to tackle the blaze, which brought down parts of the roof, exposing charred beams.

Sniffer dogs didn’t find traces suggesting that the four missing people escaped the flames, Jean-Charles Jobart, secretary general of the Charente prefecture, told broadcaster BFMTV.

“Most of them are surely still under ruins, doubtless dead,” he said.

The fire’s causes are under investigation but are presumed to be accidental, he said.