Building collapses after explosion in Marseille, 10 remain missing

Marseillebuilding collapse:An apartment building collapsed following an explosion in France port city of Marseille on Sunday. The high-flame fire burning within the rubble has hindered the rescue efforts as authorities fear as many as 10 could be trapped. Five injured have already been rescued.

The five-floor building, locatedin an old quarter in the centre of France’s second-largest city collapsed after midnight (12:40 AM) on Sunday. It is still unknown what caused the explosion which led to the collapse of the building.

Fatalities may be involved

According toMarseille Mayor Benoit Payan, over 100 firefighters were on the spot, battling the blaze,and warned there may be fatalities involved.

"We’retrying to drown the fire while preserving the lives of eventual victims under the rubble. Firefighters are gauging minute by minute the best way to put out the fire. We have to be prepared to have fatalities in this terrible tragedy," said Payan.

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Meanwhile, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said there could be four to ten people under the rubble."We don't know if they're alive or dead."

France President Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter to share a message and said his thoughts were with the people affected.

"I am thinking of those affected and their loved ones. Research is continuing with significant resources deployed. Thank you to the firefighters and rescuers mobilised," tweeted Macron.

Émotion avec Marseille, où un immeuble de la rue Tivoli s’est effondré cette nuit. Je pense aux personnes touchées et à leurs proches. Les recherches se poursuivent avec d’importants moyens déployés. Merci aux pompiers et aux secours mobilisés. — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 9, 2023

The rescue efforts have also been impeded as an adjoining building also suffered a partial collapse. The firefighters had to bring down eight people from the building after they had sought refuge on the roof terrace.

Several witnesses have said there was a suspicious smell of gas which could have caused the explosion. The accident has once again highlighted the city's housing standards with shoddy structures housing thousands asseveral building codes remain violated.

In 2018, eight people were killed in the city after two dilapidated buildings in theNoailles district caved in.

(With inputs from agencies)

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