Nouméa Catholic Relief Services building destroyed by fire

fire

A building in down town Noumea belonging to Secours Catholic (Catholic Relief Services) in Nouméa, has been destroyed by fire.

The fire broke out last Thursday shortly before 3am and destroyed the wooden and corrugated iron building located between the St Joseph’s Cathedral and Frédéric-Surleau school.

About twenty firemen and seven fire appliances were used to put out the fire and to prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings. At 8am they were still dampening down hotspots

An investigation will be opened by the national police to determine the origin of the fire.

Secours Catholique used the building it to store books and clothing.

It had been provided to them by the Archdiocese of Nouméa.

The centuries-old building of 1,000 square metre, provided food and clothing to some 600 people.

As well as this hundreds of people each week buy books at low prices.

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, from 8 am to 11 am, Secours Catholique opens its premises filled with second-hand books.

“We offer more than 6,500 books, which are constantly renewed, and there is something for everyone,” says Dominique, a volunteer.

Novels, comic books, dictionaries, collections of stories or gardening books are for the most part sold at 100 francs. “Sometimes they are even cheaper, and for the biggest new books, the price can reach 500 francs. ”

Services will now be provided from Secours Catholique at Vallée du Tir.

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News category: Asia Pacific.