Fires in Angers and Fougères lead to evacuations

Two separate fires occurred in France on Monday, October 19, 2026, resulting in evacuations in Angers and Fougères.

In Angers, a major fire broke out in an apartment in the Lac de Maine district near Rue de la Picotière. The flames completely destroyed the unit, and several residents were rescued using a large ladder. One person was hospitalized at the Angers University Hospital. Some neighbors were forced to evacuate their homes due to the danger, and witnesses noted that fires had reportedly occurred in that specific apartment previously over the last decade.

In Fougères, a fire broke out at the L’Aquatis aquatic center around 11:30 a.m. The fire affected the fitness area, specifically destroying a wooden sauna structure. Director Nicolas Foll suggested the blaze may have been caused by an electrical short circuit in the sauna heating. Approximately fifty people, including children and staff, were evacuated. No injuries were reported, but the facility remains closed until further notice.