Fire at Sportica in Gravelines: BCM Gravelines-Dunkirk lost everything, fans dismayed

In Gravelines, Monday December 25, 2023 will remain as a disastrous day. Shortly after 12:45 p.m., the Sportica enclosure – a multi-purpose complex with restaurant space, cinema, sports clubs, dojo, swimming pool and the basketball hall of the BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque – was completely destroyed by a fire described as “violent” by authorities and rescue teams.

This started from the swimming pool and spread to the jewel of the sports center, the legendary basketball hall in service for several decades. “There is no more basketball room, everything has gone up in smoke. Forty years of life in Sportica have gone up in smoke“, the president of the Gravelines club, Christian Devos, expressed emotion to AFP. “It’s very very hard, it’s an absolute sadness for all the members of the club, for all the people of Gravelin too“, added Romuald Coustre, BCM manager, to BFM TV.

The fire, whose origin has not been identified but which started in the swimming pool area, injured two firefighters who came to the scene to bring the fire under control, which was done around 5:15 p.m. according to the northern prefecture. Firefighters continued the fight into the evening to put out the last areas of fire.

Despite the seriousness of the events, a human tragedy was avoided. “If we had been in a busy period at the swimming pool or if there had been training in the basketball hall, it would have been catastrophic.“, underlined Christian Devos. But “everything was closed, under maintenance. And there was no training” for the basketball team when the fire started, he added.

“Courage to you BCM Basket Fortunately, the damage did not cause any casualties. Thank you to the firefighters for their quick and efficient intervention. Solidarity in this ordeal with the club, its 80 employees, its volunteers, its teams and the town of Gravelines which is so invested alongside them“, wrote on X, the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra,

The club which plays in Betclic Elite, the first division of French basketball, will logically not be able to play its match against Paris next Thursday. The club from the North of France no longer has a sports venue, but it has also lost what made it function on a daily basis. “We will have to find a fallback solution, try to get back up because we have nothing left. When I tell you nothing anymore, it’s because there are no more jerseys, no more equipment, no more balls… everything is on fire“, Romuald Coustre told BFM TV.

On social networks, there were numerous messages of support for BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque. Elite basketball clubs, Ligue 1 football clubs, or athletes, like Nicolas Batum, had a thought for the Basket Club Maritime.

There was also local solidarity. LOSC and RC Lens sent their message there. “What immense sadness for our counterparts at BCM Basket and all sports lovers in the region. All our strength and our support to our friends in northern basketball, as well as to the rescue services mobilized. LOSC is with you“, wrote the Lille club on X. “Under the shock of these terrifying images, the Racing Club of Lens is turned towards its neighbor BCM Basket and sends all its solidarity to the hard-hit club as well as its support to the mobilized firefighters“, tweeted the RCL.

After the desolation, we will have to think about what comes next. “Sportica is Gravelines. Gravelines is Sportica“, Bertrand Ringot, the city’s mayor, said on his Facebook page. “So, know that we will do everything we can to reorganize things with Sportica agents, organize the follow-up, organize discussions with insurance companies.”

In her message posted on X, Amélie Oudéa-Castera also spoke about the sequel. “Elected officials and leaders of the territory are already imagining, together, the paths to recovery and the State will be at their side to facilitate the reconstruction of this multi-sports complex that they were in the process of tremendously modernizing..” Reconstruction has already begun.