Two firefighters killed in France during building fire near Bordeaux Airport

Two firefighters lost their lives while responding to a significant building fire in Mérignac, a suburb of Bordeaux in southwestern France. The incident occurred on Tuesday, as reported by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, according to AFP.

The firefighters were engaged in extinguishing a blaze at a building in Mérignac, a town situated near Bordeaux Airport in the Gironde department. The airport experienced flight delays due to the proximity of the smoke, but no cancellations were announced. Social media footage depicted a large plume of smoke near the runways.

The fire reportedly began around 2:30 PM and had already engulfed an area of one hectare. According to Actu Bordeaux, the flames spread from Avenue Roland Garros, near parking lot P4, which is designated for long-term parking.

This tragedy unfolds as France braces for an exceptionally high-risk fire season, following a record-breaking heatwave. By mid-July, the country had already recorded nearly 11,000 fires, affecting approximately 35,000 hectares, surpassing the total area burned in the entire previous season. Notable fires include one in Fontainebleau near Paris that destroyed over 2,000 hectares, and extensive fires in the south, including the Pyrenees, where one blaze consumed about 4,900 hectares.

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Two firefighters died while fighting a large fire in the Bordeaux region.