Mayor Zartoshte Bakhtiari Blames Parents After Park Fire in Neuilly-sur-Marne

On Saturday 25 July, a fire broke out in the Croissant Vert park in Neuilly‑sur‑Marne, Seine‑Saint‑Denis, after three children around ten years old were seen handling mortars d’artifice. The blaze consumed about 2.5 hectares of vegetation, destroyed roughly 150 trees and threatened a nearby sports field and residential houses.

Mayor Zartoshte Bakhtiari filed a complaint, stating the incident was not a simple childish mistake but a serious act. He argued that the civil code holds parents liable for damages caused by minors under their care and said the municipality could seek financial compensation from the families. Repair costs are estimated at several hundred thousand euros, potentially up to €1.5 million.