A year after the collapse of their building, the struggle of those displaced from rue de Tivoli

Several bouquets of flowers as well as words were hung on the gates blocking access to the scene of the tragedy, which probably occurred after a gas leak, around 00:30 a.m., on April 9, 2023, in order “not to forget” the victims.

However, it is difficult to ignore the accident as the stigma is so obvious in this lively, family-oriented neighborhood. In addition to the gates which block access to its center, rue de Tivoli has a hollow dent at 15 and 17, the site of the collapses. Still under construction, the neighboring building at number 19 is now under cover, supported by immense zigzag-shaped props positioned on the building opposite, to prevent its sudden collapse.

“According to the experts, these props should be loosened by the end of May. For a month, they will then check if the building is moving,” confides Laure Beccaria, 35, one of the hundred or so people still evicted from 14 buildings. Absent at the time of the explosion, she lived in the apartment located just opposite, in which her mother had also lived for 24 years, consequently benefiting from a low rent.

“We would like to have social housing, it would allow us to finally turn the page and project ourselves into the future,” explains the young woman, staying in an aparthotel. The costs are advanced by the Marseille town hall before the owner of his accommodation, as required by law, takes over, via his insurance.

But will it assume its role? This is the difficulty faced by the victims and those displaced from the neighborhood - up to 364 households from 43 buildings initially - who, in addition to encountering the slowness of procedures, suffer from the lack of cooperation from insurers.

“The insurance companies completely refuse to take their responsibilities. They subordinate any dialogue and payment of material compensation to the successful conclusion of the criminal investigation,” accuses Clara Berroir, co-president of the “Collectif Tivoli April 9” for aid to victims of collapses.

“Double penalty”

However, the investigation, opened by the Marseille prosecutor's office as part of a judicial investigation against X for "homicides and involuntary injuries", promises to be long. A year after the tragedy, "58 civil parties have been formed" and only 20 of them were heard by the investigating magistrate, the prosecution told AFP.

“We have the feeling of suffering a double punishment: we experienced a dramatic accident, we lost people we knew, and here we are in an obstacle course where we are still suffering,” sighs Ms. Berroir.

To the individual fight, to return to one's apartment or to receive compensation, is added the "collective fight, to reach a framework agreement which would allow rapid financial release without waiting for the end of the trial", explains Johanne Raimbault, also a member of the collective.

He intends to soon file a summary summons before the judicial court to force the insurance companies to accept a framework compensation agreement, based on the model of that signed after the gas explosion on rue de Trévise in Paris, which caused four died in 2019.

This compensation fund, provided with 20 million euros by the Paris town hall, must be supplemented by insurers upstream of the legal procedure, even if few of them have respected their commitments.

As in Paris, the victims of rue de Tivoli are supported by the municipality. The mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan (various-left), sent a letter to the Minister of the Economy on March 19 demanding "the implementation of rapid collective compensation".

“The responses provided by France insurers in terms of guarantees are still too weak to support families,” he specifies, calling for “a new local victim assistance committee to be assembled as soon as possible” to which would be associated in particular with insurance companies.