Fire in the Cathedral in Nantes: suspect the fact, regretted bitterly

A 39-year-old volunteer Church worker from Rwanda stood in the night to Sunday in a police interrogation, to have the fire in the Cathedral of Nantes laid. He was taken to remand him to a prison term of up to ten years and a fine up to 150,000 euros threatens. His lawyer Quentin Chabert told the newspaper Presse-Océan, his client "regretted bitterly," he did.

Michaela Wiegel

Political correspondent, based in Paris.

The man whose residence permit was not renewed in France, directly after the fire of the police had been interrogated. He was responsible for the closure of the Cathedral. The suspicion fell on him, there's no sign of a break-could be secured. He was after the first interrogation in police custody, however, first on the left.

On Saturday night, the competent public Prosecutor Pierre Sennès ordered a new interrogation after the investigation had clearly revealed arson as the cause of the fire. At three different Points, in front of the large organ as well as in the two ships, had been placed in the fire. The Rwandans was a confession. Background for the Crime was the fact that his residence permit was not renewed.

no estimate of restoration costs

The man worked for four years as a volunteer community servant in Nantes. The rector of the Cathedral, Hubert Champenois, spoke to him after the fire to be "full trust". Compared to the AFP news Agency Champenois said the man, "love in the Cathedral" and you would never want to destroy. The history of the Rwandan refugees in man is not known. He was cared for since his arrival in France of the municipality and received an accommodation.

with the serious fire in the night to Saturday of last week, the Cathedral emerged in the late-Gothic St-Peter-and-Paul-heavy damage. The organ, a masterpiece from the 17th century. Century, burned completely. A large stained-glass window in the facade, as well as paintings, were destroyed or damaged. An estimate of the restoration cost yet.

In the Cathedral in Nantes, had it burned in 1972. At the time, a roofer with his cutting torch had triggered a fire in the roof. The Church was built between 1434 and 1891, in the Flamboyant style of late Gothic.