Major gas explosion near Paris American Academy | Video
1 min read 21 Jun 2023, 10:09 PM ISTParis gas explosion: The witness in the area sensed a gas smell before the blast but the fire department has not confirmed the reason behind the gas explosion
PremiumAt least 16 people are reported to be injured after a gas explosion at the Paris American Academy, BNO News reported on Wednesday. The explosion has damaged some buildings in central Paris' fifth arrondissement. The witness in the area sensed a gas smell before the blast but the fire department has not confirmed the reason behind the gas explosion.
The district mayor Florence Berthout said that four people are critically injured in the gas explosion, news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday. “The explosion was extremely violent," she said while describing the glasses falling from the building.
The fire department cordoned off the area surrounding the structure and commenced efforts to extinguish the flames by dousing the building with water. Meanwhile, residents of Paris took to Twitter, sharing pictures depicting a voluminous smoke column that could be seen from various parts of the city.
According to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, the fire incident took place at Rue Saint-Jacques, situated in the 5th arrondissement near the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Sorbonne University.
Loubna Atta, the spokesperson for the Paris police, it is currently too premature to ascertain the origin of the fire, and she cannot verify the claims suggesting that it resulted from a gas explosion.
According to reports from French media sources, additional structures in the nearby area were reportedly engulfed in flames following the explosion.