A petition calling for a home and job for a homeless man who saved a shopkeeper in Lyon from a severe fire has so far attracted more than 47,500 signatures.
The homeless man, named Fabrice, broke windows in the building to save the shopkeeper from the blaze after it took hold of the five-storey building in rue Monseigneur Lavarenne in Vieux-Lyon, on November 21.
The basement and first floor of the building 鈥� including the shopkeeper鈥檚 antiques shop 鈥� were destroyed, but there were no deaths thanks to Fabrice鈥檚 actions.
The fire began after the shopkeeper鈥檚 gas fire fell over, and the man found himself trapped by flames. Fabrice was walking with his dog at the end of the road and came to the man鈥檚 assistance.
He dragged the shopkeeper out of the building, leaving the pair with only minimal injuries.
Despite Fabrice attempting to play down the rescue by calling it 鈥渘ormal鈥� and 鈥渨hat anyone would have done in the same situation鈥�, started by Lyon rapper and 鈥榠nfluencer鈥� Oumse Dia has managed to gather more than 47,500 signatures (at the time of writing).
In the video below, Fabrice explains what happened. He said: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think about it, I just did it automatically.鈥�
Rencontre ce jour entre Fabrice, ce SDF bien connu des habitants du Vieux Lyon, qui est devenu un h茅ros apr猫s avoir聽sauv茅 la vie d鈥檜n commer莽ant lors de l鈥檌ncendie de sa brocante et Oumse-dia l'auteur de la p茅tition qui demande 脿 ce que Fabrice soit r茅compens茅 pour son geste.
— Medave Prod (@medaveprod)
The petition is calling for Fabrice to be given a home and a job by the mayor of Lyon Gr茅gory Doucet and prefect of the Rh么ne department Pascal Mailhos, in recognition of his heroic act.
It is also calling for the mayor to meet with Fabrice at the mairie.
Pic: Change.org
Mr Dia : 鈥淲e hope that this homeless man will be recognised by the authorities and that he will be able to benefit from a job and housing in view of his act of bravery.鈥�
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He said: 鈥淚 started this to show that even if you鈥檙e homeless, you can be a part of society, and be a role model to young people, and I am sure that because of this petition, we are going to help Fabrice to find work and a home, and help him to rebuild his life. I thank all the people who have signed it.鈥�
So far, Nadine Georgel, mayor of the city鈥檚 5th arrondissement, has spoken with Fabrice several times, although the latter has said he wants to stay out of the media spotlight.
: 鈥淗e is a very good young man, who is very disciplined, and who has a craft. My position is clear, we will help him according to his wishes and needs, over a time period that works for him.鈥�
The priority currently is to find Fabrice, who has a strong bond with his dog, a place to live.
Ms Georgel said: 鈥淭he prefecture is taking this in hand. I am very impressed by this story. He told me, 鈥榃hat I did is [what anyone would do]鈥�, and I said, 鈥楳aybe, but it鈥檚 still exceptional鈥�.鈥�
