Three gendarmes were seriously injured and a man they had come to arrest died in the explosion of a house on Wednesday in La Chapelle (Allier), according to the Cusset prosecution. According to information from 20 minutes, the facts took place before 1 p.m. on Wednesday. “Three gendarmes were seriously injured following an explosion in a house in which they had come to arrest an individual, himself deceased”, indicated the public prosecutor of Cusset Eric Neveu. The vital prognosis of one of the three soldiers is engaged, he said.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Twitter that a total of seven gendarmes were injured in the operation. The gendarmes had come to arrest the man in a common law case at the request of the prosecution. When they arrived, the individual was aggressive but was able to be controlled and arrested.
The 38-year-old man was “very unfavorably known to the police”, continued the prosecutor. He was to be arrested for threats and insults to prison staff, because he was on probation. “This individual had uttered threats the day before against a person holding public authority under the Ministry of Justice. When they arrived on the spot, the gendarmes arrested the respondent and then noticed a very strong smell of gasoline. A violent explosion ensued, setting the house ablaze,” said the Allier prefecture.
Two gendarmes were evacuated by helicopter to the Lyon hospital center specializing in severe burns. The third gendarme, more slightly affected, was transported to the Clermont-Ferrand hospital center, the prefecture said. Three other gendarmes, who intervened to extract their comrades from the house were more slightly injured, according to her. An investigation for “attempted homicide on a person holding public authority” has been opened, entrusted to the Clermont-Ferrand research section.
