An overnight blaze left the Paul Langevin gymnasium in Etupes partially destroyed on Tuesday, Nov. 10, consuming the entirety of a local badminton club’s stored gear despite a rapid response from firefighters.
The fire originated in an adjoining storage room used by the Etupes badminton club, leaving no salvageable equipment behind. The club now faces immediate financial strain and a complete lack of a home training venue.
“On a perdu nos 14 poteaux, une dizaine de filets, notre podium, notre sono, le petit matériel électroménager pour la buvette,” Olivier Charles, treasurer and secretary of the badminton club founded in 1992, told ICI. The club’s gear was uninsured because members considered the storage area secure and never anticipated a fire.
Immediate expenses total roughly 6,000 euros out of the 13,000 euros in total losses. The club needs to equip the town’s second facility, the Jacques Vilquin gymnasium, and restock shuttlecocks for its players.
“Il va falloir équiper le deuxième gymnase de la ville d’Etupes qui n’est pas équipé, et racheter un stock de volants pour nos licenciés,” Charles told ICI. Club members launched an online fundraiser to help offset the damages.
Mayor Philippe Claudel said that the municipality and the Pays de Montbéliard Agglomeration are working on solutions, including scheduling time slots at the Jacques Vilquin facility for displaced athletes.
“On va essayer de leur dégager des créneaux au gymnase Jacques Vilpin,” Claudel told ICI, adding that an aeromodeling club that practiced at Paul Langevin once a week will also need alternative arrangements.
Other sports clubs in the Pays de Montbéliard region have offered training slots, but accommodating all 110 club members remains difficult. Players must now coordinate carpools to reach distant practice locations.
“Mais ça reste compliqué de recaler 110 licenciés,” Charles told ICI. “Aujourd’hui le badminton a le vent en poupe, donc les clubs ont beau mettre à disposition des créneaux, ça ne suffit malheureusement pas.”
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire, with a middle school student from the adjacent collège Paul Langevin identified as the primary suspect. PMA, the municipality, and the badminton club have all filed legal complaints.
Méanie Daf, a vice-president of PMA in charge of sports policy, explained that officials must await the conclusion of the legal inquiry and insurance assessments before deciding the fate of the heavily damaged building.
“On va laisser avancer l’enquête, la justice, les experts des assurances,” Daf told ICI. “On sait que cela peut parfois prendre longtemps mais c’est une fatalité à laquelle on ne peut pas déroger.”
Charles said that the gymnasium may require complete demolition and reconstruction, a process that could take up to two years and heavily impact upcoming seasons.
“Aujourd’hui l’avenir s’annonce en pointillés,” Charles told ICI. “Possiblement, le gymnase va devoir être détruit pour être reconstruit. Cela peut durer deux ans, et ça aura donc un préjudice très important pour les prochaines saisons.”
