Fire Tragedy in Nice: Two Foreign Suspects Detained and Charged, One Potentially Acting as Sponsor
In a significant development in the investigation into the fatal fire that swept through Nice's Moulins district in 2024, several suspects have been arrested in connection with the case. The mastermind suspect, a man born in Dakar, Senegal, and currently a resident of Nice, was located and arrested at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport in Guinea-Bissau on December 22 of the previous year. However, no details regarding his identity, arrest, or extradition process have been made public.
In a separate development, an Algerian national, who is the subject of an arrest warrant with Interpol diffusion, was arrested by Algerian authorities on April 23. The extradition of this suspect to France cannot be considered due to the extradition convention signed in 2019 between the two countries. The decision of the Guinean authorities regarding the handover of the mastermind suspect, still under extradition detention, has not yet been made.
A 33-year-old man residing in Grasse is among those imprisoned in France, known to the police and justice services for drug trafficking offenses. He is one of five individuals currently imprisoned in relation to the Nice fire. The Grasse suspect was arrested on June 30 and charged with destruction of another's property by means dangerous to persons resulting in death, organized destruction of another's property by means dangerous to persons, and participation in a criminal association in preparation for a crime.
Two new suspects have been arrested in Algeria and Guinea-Bissau in relation to the fire. One of these arrested individuals is suspected of having played a role as the mastermind. Investigations continue intensively to identify and arrest all other persons suspected of being involved in the organization and commission of the arson.
As for the ongoing extradition process, an extradition request was sent to the Guinean authorities for the mastermind suspect. Exchanges have been engaged with Algiers to obtain information about the suspect's situation, including whether he is imprisoned or not in Algeria. The prosecutor's office is continuing to work to obtain any information about the Algerian suspect's situation.
For the most reliable updates on this case, it is advisable to monitor official announcements from the French authorities, Guinea-Bissau, and Algeria, as well as reputable international news sources. As of July 17, 2025, no publicly available search results specifically address the mastermind suspect in the Nice fire case or the status of their extradition from Guinea-Bissau and Algeria.
- The French authorities have been and continue to actively seek extradition of a suspect, arrested in Guinea-Bissau and Algeria, in relation to the 2024 Nice fire case – a case that falls under the general-news category, while also being linked to crime-and-justice, specifically destruction of property and participation in a criminal association.
- With arrests made in Algeria and Guinea-Bissau, French investigations regarding the mastermind of the Nice fire delve into war-and-conflicts, as well as politics, due to the complications presented by the extradition conventions signed between France and Algeria in 2019, and with the ongoing uncertainties regarding the commitment of Guinean authorities to hand over the suspect.
