In the fifth arrondissement of Paris – the oldest district of the city – there was a powerful explosion, according to Le Figaro. According to preliminary data, the building of the American Academy in Paris, a private fashion school founded in 1965, became the epicenter of the explosion.
After the explosion, the building collapsed, starting a fire. The fire spread to neighboring buildings, said French Prime Minister Elisabeth Born.
According to BFM TV, at least 16 people received various injuries, seven of them are in critical condition. Several eyewitnesses reported that people were under the rubble of the building.
The police cordoned off the area near the site of the explosion, and the military arrived to guard the perimeter. The nearby Port Royal railway station was closed. Sources at Le Figaro claim that law enforcement officers are waiting for the dog handlers to arrive to make sure there are no explosives planted anywhere.
230 firefighters and nine doctors arrived at the scene. The Paris prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
Several eyewitnesses told BFM TV that they smelled a strong smell of gas before the explosion. Others said that in recent days, work was being done on the gas network on the street where the collapsed building is located.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
