Historic Limoges Town Hall Set Alight After a Day of Protests in France, Its Clock-Tower Spire Collapsing in the Flames

The historic town hall in the French city of Limoges has been damaged by fire in what is being treated as an apparent arson attack. The blaze came after a day of nationwide protests across France on Saturday.

Dramatic footage shared online shows the 19th-century building engulfed in flames. The spire of its clock tower later collapsed, in a moment also captured on video and widely shared.

On Sunday, stunned residents watched as firefighters, who had battled the blaze through the night, assessed the building's structural integrity after the overnight firefighting effort.

Officials have not yet confirmed whether the town hall is at risk of collapse. That uncertainty over the safety of the structure is now the central concern for people in the city.

One resident, expressing anger at the damage, said that damaging heritage buildings because you are angry with the government is selfish. The remark captured the shock and sadness felt locally at the loss.

The 19th-century building is more than an administrative office; it is part of Limoges's history and identity. That is why its damage has hit residents so hard, with the scene described as very upsetting by those who gathered to see it.

The fire followed a day of widespread protests across France on Saturday. In Paris, too, residents woke after the day of protests to damage and looted shops, according to reports from the capital.

How exactly the Limoges fire started has not yet been set out in detail. It has been described as an apparent arson attack, but a final conclusion on the cause is still to come.

After the night-long effort by firefighters, attention has turned to the structural assessment of the building. Only once engineers have judged how safe the rest of the structure is can decisions be taken about repair and preservation.

For now, the picture from Limoges is one of stunned residents standing before a damaged landmark, and grief and anger over harm to the city's heritage. The city awaits the official structural findings and a formal account of how the fire began.