Suspected Arson at Laval’s Sainte‑Trinité Cathedral Behind Scaffolding
In the early morning hours of June 11, 2025, a fire erupted on the scaffolding attached to the left side of the Sainte-Trinité Cathedral in Laval, Mayenne. The blaze, which began around 5 a.m., was quickly extinguished by firefighters after being alerted by a passerby.
Preliminary investigations strongly suggest the fire was started deliberately. Anne‑Lyse Jarthon, the public prosecutor in Laval, has confirmed that authorities are treating the incident as “voluntary origin of this fire.” Investigators from the Laval public prosecutor’s office and the departmental police directorate are leading the inquiry into the incident.
The fire broke out on scaffolding erected for façade renovations that began in March and are scheduled to continue for two years. Although the flames were confined to the temporary structures and did not spread to the cathedral’s historic stone fabric, smoke damage and investigation activity have impacted the renovation work. The diocesan office has indicated that the restoration project will continue as planned.
Bishop Mathieu Dupont visited the site the morning after the fire to assess the damage, while Laval’s mayor, Florian Bercault, strongly condemned “these acts that attack public buildings and moreover places of worship”. He called for mutual respect for the objective of peaceful coexistence.
Source: Le Journal du Dimanche
Image: Wiki Commons