“Disaster” is likely not the first word you’d expect to associate with a boulevard. Yet, here on Avenue Lefèbvre, the shadow of a tragic event looms.
Avenue Lefèbvre is named after François Joseph Lefebvre. He was a Duke of Dantzig and Marshal of France. However, this avenue is also remembered for something far more somber.
Let’s journey back to January 15, 1964. Work was underway here, constructing five buildings for low-rent apartments. The innovative “self-lift” technique was being used. This involved hoisting prefabricated steel frames and concrete slabs.
That day, the final section of a twelve-story building was being put in place. Fifteen workers prepared concrete blocks below. Suddenly, at 4:05 pm, the entire building collapsed. A heap of twisted steel and shattered concrete replaced the structure.
Imagine the chaos. Up to 400 people joined the rescue. Even Algerian and Moroccan workers observing Ramadan helped search. Some were freed. Many others were found dead.
Newspapers told heartbreaking stories. One recounted the rescue of Abbou, an Algerian worker trapped under a girder. His colleagues tried to keep his spirits up. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries.
Confusion reigned. The exact number of workers on site was unknown. Some had been hired that very day. They hadn’t been registered with social security. The employment register was buried in the rubble.
On January 25th, 5,000 people followed the funeral procession. Work stopped across France in solidarity. Investigations began to find the cause. Families waited until 1967 for a criminal trial.
The investigation found the foundations were sound. The main contractor had gone bankrupt years earlier. The new contractors faced financial problems. They rushed the project to stay on budget.
The self-lift technique needed specialist supervision. However, management was unsatisfactory. The director of CET had never managed a project like this. The site manager failed to report that the ground-floor level lacked bracing. This was required for stability.
Ice delayed construction. This halted concrete floor production. The metal frame assembly proceeded faster than the concrete flooring. The metal fitters ran out of temporary bracing. Bowing to pressure, the site manager removed bracing from the first section. He used it further along. This was the fatal error. The building wasn’t rigid enough. As the final section was raised, the building wobbled. Then, it collapsed.
At the trial, contractors, architects, and the supervising engineer faced charges. The cause was a lack of coordination. The judge divided accountability. Most received suspended sentences and fines.
The architect-in-chief, Georges Tourry, also received a suspended sentence. The court declared that the architects had overall responsibility. He had trained as an engineer and architect.
The boulevard Lefebvre disaster became a focal point. It sparked debates about safety and responsibility. It highlighted the human cost of rapid modernization.
Today, no memorial marks the tragedy on Avenue Lefèbvre. The completed estate stands as a stark reminder. It serves as a reminder of the lives lost. It also shows the importance of safety and oversight in construction.