Overview

• Prosecutors in Bordeaux have opened an investigation for criminal destruction by fire causing death after the blaze at the Château de la Corderie in Saint-Christoly-de-Blaye.
• Detectives from the Bordeaux gendarmerie’s section de recherche are leading the case and are prioritizing the criminal hypothesis, though final findings have not been released.
• The victim, Ginette Boselli, 84, was a well-known local figure who had owned the property since the 1970s and was active in caring for stray cats.
• The château has been described as ravaged by flames, and residents have left flowers at the gates as the town expresses shock and grief.
• Authorities are assessing whether the fire could be linked to a recent series of burglaries in the commune, and a march in Boselli’s memory is planned for Sunday.