When the killer truck ploughed through a crowd enjoying Bastille Day celebrations here killing 80 people, the bodies flew "like bowling pins along its path", a horrified witness recalled.
Journalist Damien Allemand was, like countless others, enjoying the fireworks at what was a laid - back evening on Thursday.
He saw kids throwing rocks in the water.
Suddenly, everything went wrong.
When he heard screams from a distance, Allemand - - who works for digital service Nice - Matin - - thought some fireworks may have gone out of control.
"A fraction of a second later, a huge white truck flew by at a crazy speed, driving over people, twisting the wheel to cut down the maximum number of people, " he said, recalling those deathly moments.
"This truck of death passed a few meters away from me and I didn't realize it.
I saw bodies fly like bowling pins along its path.
Heard noises, screaming that I will never forget.
"I was frozen with fear, " he wrote in a post.
Frightened, Allemand briefly took refuge in a restaurant, Le Cocodile, but headed out because he needed to know what was happening.
What he saw numbed him.
"The Prom (seaside path near the beach) was deserted.
Not a noise.
Not a siren.
Not a single car.
So I crossed the traffic island to go back to the truck's path.
"I bumped into Raymond, around 50, in tears, who gasped, 'There are dead bodies everywhere. '
He was right. "
Every five meters, there were bodies - - lifeless, limbs. . .
blood.
"The beach attendants were the first on the scene.
They brought water for the wounded and towels that they spread over those for whom there was no hope.
"Just then, I lost my nerve.
I would have loved to help, to be of service. . .
to do anything.
But I didn't.
Frozen again. "
Hello EnglishHello English
