Two Injured in Corsica Beach Restaurant Fire; Arson Suspected

A beachside restaurant in Haute-Corse was destroyed by a fire just before 1 a.m. on Saturday. The establishment, known as L'Osteria and located on Pinarello beach in Sorbo-Ocagnano, was reduced to ashes.

Two men, aged 28 and 33, who were in the vicinity, suffered minor injuries due to an explosion related to the incident. They received medical attention before being transported to the Bastia hospital. Firefighters responded with five vehicles and 20 personnel to combat the blaze.

The public prosecutor's office in Bastia has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire. While no hypothesis is being favored at this stage, the possibility of arson is being considered, given the frequency of such incidents targeting restaurants and bars on the island.

This event follows a series of similar incidents in Corsica. Earlier in the week, a bar in Ajaccio was destroyed by fire, allegedly set with gasoline. Another beachside establishment in Ajaccio was also targeted by arson on August 11. Authorities have previously highlighted the fight against deliberate fires as a priority in Corsica, noting that around 80 restaurants have been victims of arson in the past decade.