The electrician called to fix any problems at the apartment says he knew Hassan over many years "but only from a distance".

"If you went back to the 60s and 70s, I think parents, teachers, and the government were very happy with the idea that people became trades, electricians, plumbers, bricklayers," he said.

Firefighter Jacques C, 73, said he had considered it but "then life just carried on", while electrician Patrice N, 55, said he "didn't want to waste the whole day at the police station".

“I could do meter tech... I could do fire alarms… I could be a normal or domestic electrician… which I feel is a good benefit for the T-level,” he says.

It isn’t easy to find an electrician on a holiday, let alone at that hour.