Paris explosives leaves more than 30 people injured
37 injured, including four seriously, are the result of a massive explosion that occurred in the heart of Paris.
In the fifth arrondissement of the French capital's Rue Saint-Jacques, a building that housed a design school and the Catholic educational system was the scene of the explosion.
Two individuals are reportedly missing, and rescuers are scouring the building's rubble for them.
Before the explosion, there was a noticeable gas smell, according to witnesses.
Edouard Civel, the deputy mayor for the area, claimed on social media that a "gas explosion" was to blame.
Authorities, however, stated that the explosion's source was yet unknown.
After arriving at the site, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated that first examinations of camera video revealed the explosion occurred inside the structure, which was close to the Val de Grâce church.
According to Paris police director Laurent Nunez, the fire originally enveloped the structure but was eventually put out.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin visited the scene and roped off the area.
He said that sniffer dogs had located potential hiding places for further victims among the debris.
In the Left Bank neighborhood of Paris, south of the Latin Quarter, lies the location of the explosion. This neighborhood is well-known for its student population.
Le Parisien quoted an Ecole des Mines student as saying: "I was in front of the Val de Grâce when I heard a big boom and saw a ball of fire that was 20 to 30 meters high. And with a loud bang, the building fell. It took me a while to realize that I was smelling gas.
Antoine Brouchot, another witness, said to the BBC that he heard a "big explosion" while at home.
"I stuck my head out the window and looked towards Cochin [hospital], then I saw a big cloud of smoke, and as I got closer, there was a building that had collapsed, and for the moment, there is a fire."
0 Comments