Paris, France

According to local officials, at least 30 people have been injured after a supposed gas explosion occurred in the French capital city of Paris, on Wednesday (June 21). The police have also said that seven of those injured are in critical condition after a blast in Rue Saint-Jacques in the historic fifth arrondissement.  Two people are missing, who are believed to be buried under the rubble.

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What do we know so far?

Images and videos show police, and multiple fire and ambulance service vehicles surrounding the facade of one building fallen onto the street, with plumes of black smoke emerging from the debris. At least 230 firefighters were at the site and nine doctors, said the police officials. 

According to the French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, the incident happened on Rue Saint-Jacques in the fifth arrondissement, close to the Jardin Du Luxembourg and Sorbonne University and has asked people to stay away from the area and not hinder the massive deployment of firefighters and police.

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Similarly, the police have also asked the locals to avoid the Val de Grace church area after the facade of a building collapsed and the fire is said to have spread to neighbouring buildings. The reported blast occurred at around 4:55 pm (local time).

Some two hours later at 6:45 pm (local time) the Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said that the fire is under control and rescue work was continuing. The prosecutors also said that two people were still unaccounted for after the blast and fire. 

What caused the fire?

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French media reports citing nearby residents also reported a loud explosion preceding the fire. Meanwhile, French prosecutors said the cause of the fire remains unknown. Notably, the site of the incident is at the edge of the Latin Quarter which is one of the most prominent tourist areas in Paris.

Paris police spokeswoman Loubna Atta said it was too early to determine the source of the fire and did not confirm reports about the gas explosion. This comes after local deputy mayor, Edouard Civel, said it was a gas explosion which caused the blast in a Twitter post. Additionally, witnesses also told the local media that had been a strong smell of gas moments before the blast. 

“I was at home writing…I thought it was a bomb,” an art historian, Monique Mosser told Reuters. Meanwhile, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, as per media reports, said initial checks of camera footage suggested the explosion occurred within the building which was next to the Val de Grace church. 

(With inputs from agencies) 

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