The article below was published in the daily newspaper La Croix du Nord, Lille, Pas-de-Calais, France, page 2, October 30, 1954.
See the case file.
Tuesday, October 26, around 5:30 a.m., going to his work which consists of surveyance on behalf of the Société des Forces de la Providence, Hautmont factory, Mr. Louis Blanquart, residing in Pont-sur-Sambre, rue de Pantegnies, being at the "Pont Mauricaud", borders of the territories of the municipalities of Pont-sur-Samble, Bachant, and Saint-Rémi-du-Nord, saw in the sky a craft having the shape of a small ball of fire, moving at an incredible speed from west to east, leaving behind a shower of sparks. The object was at a very long distance.
Mr. Blanquart, a former member of the gendarmerie, first feared that he would not be believed, which is what motivated his late revelation. He didn't say a word to anyone at first, but on Friday, a factory guard, Mr. René Mauve, rue de Maubeuge, said he had seen the same "apparition" at the same hour and in the same place.
On the other hand, Mr. Blanquart learned that a worker from Neuf-Mesnil had seen the same thing always on the same date and jour as scheduled. It was then that he decided to reveal what he had seen.