A century ago, in October 1926, a splendid scarlet sidecar, adorned with the coat of arms of the city of Nice, began to patrol the streets. Aboard were three men in leather attire and copper helmets. This acquisition aimed to revolutionize firefighter response, particularly for chimney fires, which were frequent at the start of winter.
Captain POULLAN, head of the corps, explained to the newspaper « le petit-niçois » that the idea came to him during a trip to Paris. He had requested municipal authorities to acquire a vehicle similar to those used by the capital's firefighters. The goal was to reduce response time to incidents, as until then, firefighters had to travel by bicycle, often arriving exhausted after several kilometers.
Ordered from the GILLET company following a deliberation by the Nice municipal council on June 26, 1926, this sidecar, similar to Parisian equipment, was designed to carry essential gear and two experienced men. It carried four canvas buckets, two hatchets, and carbide fire extinguishers. The specifications detailed a 6 horsepower, 2-cylinder, 3-speed motorcycle, French Army and Paris firefighters type, with a suspended chassis and special bodywork.
Mr. Auguste LAURENTI, deputy mayor for Firefighters, emphasized in his supporting argument annexed to the deliberation that this vehicle would allow for faster transport and that the men would arrive at the scene rested, thereby improving the efficiency of the chimney fire suppression service.
Unfortunately, the story of this sidecar took a tragic turn on November 5, 1929. As firefighters BARESTE, BELCHIO, and CHIOSSONNE were returning from a mission, the rear tire of the motorcycle burst on Avenue des Phocéens. The unbalanced vehicle swerved and collided with a truck, and firefighter Mathieu BELCHIO, aged 23 and the sidecar's driver, died from a skull fracture.
The funeral of Mathieu BELCHIO took place on November 7, 1929, at the Caucade cemetery in Nice, accompanied by the entire Firefighter company, municipal authorities, and a large crowd.
