Ten Years After the Fire: Lucas Canuel Remains Committed to His Career Goal

Roquessels – 10 August 2026: Ten years after the devastating wildfire near Gabian and Roquessels in the Hérault department, Lucas Canuel remains committed to his career goal. The former volunteer firefighter, who suffered life-threatening burns during the operation, still wants to become a professional firefighter. On the anniversary, his story also serves as a reminder of the risks of emergency response work and the difficult professional future facing seriously injured rescue workers.

On 10 August 2016, Canuel and three colleagues were dispatched to a vegetation fire north of Béziers. Between Roquessels and Gabian, the unit was surrounded by flames. The then 23-year-old suffered severe burns and subsequently spent three months in a coma. His colleague Jérémy Beier later died from his injuries. David Fontaine and Didier Bordelier were also seriously injured.

The consequences continue to shape Canuel’s daily life. According to earlier reports, he lost all ten fingers as a result of his injuries and had to undergo numerous medical treatments and lengthy rehabilitation. He sees his determination to move into the professional fire service as the continuation of a life plan abruptly interrupted by the accident. His goal is therefore closely linked to the question of what professional paths remain open to emergency personnel after permanent injury.

Canuel also calls for appropriate recognition for volunteer firefighters injured in the line of duty. In previous public statements, he pointed to differences between volunteer and full-time personnel in social protection and compensation. In France, volunteering accounts for a substantial share of fire and disaster protection. A serious incident in the line of duty can therefore affect not only the medical consequences but also the professional status and financial security of those involved.

The fire also had legal consequences. In 2024, the Administrative Court of Montpellier reportedly ordered the Hérault fire and rescue service to pay compensation to injured emergency personnel and to the family of the deceased Jérémy Beier. A criminal investigation into the circumstances of the operation had also been launched. The Hérault Prefecture recorded the incident as an operational accident during the Roquessels fire.

On the tenth anniversary, the focus is therefore on more than the memory of a single disaster. Canuel’s persistent professional ambition points to a personal future that remains unresolved to this day. At the same time, the day recalls four firefighters who were surrounded by flames on 10 August 2016, and Jérémy Beier, who did not survive his injuries.