On Saturday, September 19, a bus belonging to the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis caught fire near the Maurice-David stadium in Aix-en-Provence, during a women's international rugby match. The fire spread rapidly, affecting three light vehicles, but prompt intervention limited the damage. No injuries were reported.
The following day, Sunday, September 20, Sdis 13 teams were deployed to several fires along the railway tracks in Saint-Chamas and Lançon-Provence. The rapid engagement of numerous ground resources contained the burnt area to less than four hectares, with no casualties or material damage.
Late afternoon on September 20, a more significant fire broke out at a company specializing in scrap metal recycling. Two distinct hotspots were identified within a pile of industrial waste and end-of-life vehicles. Approximately 100 nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution, and air quality monitoring was implemented.
The operation successfully contained the incident and protected surrounding areas. A coordinated effort between Pompiers13, the City of Vitrolles, and the national police proved effective. Firefighters continued operations, including dousing the burnt vehicles, for 48 hours after the initial alarm.
These incidents were in addition to the regular duties of protecting the population across the department.
