Historic Limoges town hall destroyed by fire amid cost-of-living unrest in France
The 143-year-old town hall in Limoges, central France, was set alight on Saturday during unrest that followed nationwide cost-of-living protests. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The historic town hall in Limoges, a city in central France, has been ravaged by fire on the evening of 17 October. A group set the building alight during unrest that followed nationwide protests over the cost of living. The building is 143 years old.
According to the local prefect, Maurice Barate, the roof has fallen in onto the lower floors. Only the west wing escaped this. He said roughly two-thirds of the building's exterior had already vanished. In France, a prefect is the state's representative in a given area.
Protests turned violent
The fire came after demonstrations that escalated into violence in several French cities on Saturday. The source does not say which cities were affected, nor whether anyone was injured.
The full extent of the damage to the town hall is still being assessed. It is not yet clear how much of the structure or its interior can be saved.
