leparisien.fr

For the police, no more doubt possible : the flames which damaged the entrance to the Saint-Sulpice church (VI^e) Sunday afternoon was nothing accidental. “The fire started from a pile of clothes and clothes don’t catch fire on their own”, indicates a police source.
The origin of the disaster is, according to the first conclusions of the central laboratory of the police headquarters, “humane” and “deliberate”. “An individual had set fire and thrown a rag on the rue Palatine side a few days earlier”, reports the mayor (LR) you VI^e Jean-Pierre Lecoq.

Settling of scores or attack ?

Is this a settling of scores between homeless people? (the clothes belonged to a homeless person who was absent at the time of the disaster) or a deliberate attack on the Catholic building, as Internet users began to insinuate on Sunday on social networks ?
Several churches were desecrated in recent weeks. The investigation remains in the hands of the VI police station^e district and was not entrusted to the judicial police.
The diocese of Paris, since Sunday, remains cautious and still refuses to comment. “The Saint-Sulpice church was set on fire today. We do not know the reasons at this stage., and await the results of the ongoing investigation. We have full confidence in the Police Prefecture. I personally thank the police and firefighters for their professionalism”, indicated the Archbishop of Paris on the Twitter account of the diocese.

Spectators raised the alarm

The results could have been more serious since an organ concert was taking place at the very time of the events.. “It was spectators who heard the crackling flames who raised the alarm”, reports Karen Taïeb, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of heritage.
There were no casualties but material damage, even if the fire did not start within the building itself, classified as a historic monument. " Inside, no damage is visible. But the 18th century door^e century on the rue Palatine side, a stained glass window and a bas-relief were badly damaged by the flames. Fortunately, the heavy oak door played its role of firebreak well”, sighs Karen Taieb. The stairwell also disappeared in the flames.
“It is the city of Paris which will pay all repair and restoration costs”, says Karen Taïeb.