#EU #France – Quick action by three local teenagers and other residents prevented a devastating fire from destroying the 16th-century chapel inside the historic Église Saint-Étienne de Perriers-sur-Andelle on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
The blaze broke out around 4 p.m. in the Christ chapel of the church, a protected monument with roots dating back to the 11th century in the Eure department of Normandy. According to the mayor, Annick Bonay, and investigators, an electrical short-circuit — caused by a cable trapped behind the woodwork — sparked the fire.
Two employees from a neighboring EHPAD nursing home first spotted smoke and flames. They grabbed fire extinguishers and attempted to douse the blaze, but the flames reignited and spread to furnishings. At that critical moment, three teenagers from the village intervened decisively.
Lenny, 14, and Mathias, 16, rushed to the presbytery to retrieve additional extinguishers. They entered the smoke-filled church and fought the fire directly while awaiting professional firefighters. Their friend Nathan, also 15, checked the rest of the building to ensure no other ignition points had started. A 79-year-old nun living in the presbytery helped alert emergency services.
Nineteen sapeurs-pompiers from local stations, including Perriers-sur-Andelle, Fleury/Charleval, and Les Andelys, arrived on scene shortly afterward. They fully extinguished the fire and confirmed that the rapid local response had saved the church’s main structure. Without the intervention, the flames likely would have reached the roof timbers, causing irreparable damage to the 400-square-meter building.
The three teenagers inhaled significant smoke and were transported to the CHU Rouen hospital for examinations. Medical updates later that evening described their conditions as reassuring.
Damage remained limited to 19th-century wooden furnishings and parts of the chapel interior, including charred walls and debris. The historic charpente, main nave, and key artworks — including a statue of Christ — escaped destruction. The church was closed immediately afterward for ventilation, safety inspections, and expert assessment. No electricity remained in the building overnight.
Mayor Bonay praised the heroes in a Facebook message, stating that “each person, at their level, contributed to preserving a precious element of our heritage.” The parish priest noted that while the affected furniture required restoration, the incident offered an opportunity for a broader campaign, possibly in partnership with the Fondation du patrimoine.
Image: Lenny Lahaye, 14, within the church after the fire he and his friends helped extinguish.
