A violent storm sparked an important fire on August 20 at the Cosse Château, a building classified as a historic monument located in Veyrac in Haute-Vienne, on August 20. Lightning has struck the roof of the building around 7 p.m., causing a fire starting by the owners. The fire mobilized around 50 firefighters and 18 devices for several hours, allowing rapid control of the disaster, although thirty firefighters stayed on site the next day to extinguish the last homes.
The main cause identified is love at first sight on a roof yet protected by a lightning rod. Martine, owner present at the event, says: “I saw as a ball fall. I quickly got out. I called my son saying that there was a fire on the pod. My daughter called the firefighters “.
The flames quickly ignited the roof, causing the collapse of the frame on the first floor and the destruction of high windows, with flames reaching almost ten meters high. Despite these damage, the furniture on the ground floor and certain value works have been evacuated and protected thanks to the rapid intervention of rescue and owners. The claim also caused disturbances in the town, depriving 230 households of electricity.
The Château de la Cosse, built between 1761 and 1763 by the architect Limousin Joseph Brousseau, is a representative example of classical architecture of the 18th century in Limousin. It presents a sober facade of size stone, a main staircase with wrought iron ramp and a landscaped park created in the 19th century by the landscaper Count of Choulot. Classified as a historic monument since 1977, the castle has belonged to the same family for almost three centuries and is mainly used for private receptions and events.
