Arson suspected after early-morning blaze damages Salon-de-Provence high school

Around 7 a.m. on Saturday, a blaze ignited from a rubbish bin and quickly spread through the grounds of the lycée de l'Empéri in Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône. Fire crews from the departmental service d'incendie et de secours extinguished the flames, limiting damage to broken windows and soot-covered walls. Five staff members residing on the premises were evacuated without injury.

Mayor Nicolas Isnard, a member of Les Républicains, described the episode as a criminal act and referenced two earlier night-time intrusion attempts. He urged authorities to consider a temporary restriction on minors' access to social networks during heightened tensions. The school will remain closed for several days while investigations continue and repairs are made. Similar school-fire incidents have recently occurred in Metz and Nantes, though no direct link to student protests has been established.