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Explosion rocks Paris: Several buildings catch fire and 16 people are injured with seven in critical condition following blast, as police tell people to avoid the area
UPDATED: 12:37 EDT, 21 June 2023
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At least 16 people injured in an explosion near the Pantheon monument in Paris
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Seven people are in critical condition following blast in the fifth arrondissement
Seven people are now in critical condition as Paris firefighters battle a blaze in the Latin Quarter of the city centre following a blast earlier this afternoon.
The explosion rocked Paris, resulting in several buildings catching fire, pushing flames and smoke into the air above the fifth arrondissement above the Pantheon monument.
At least 16 people have been injured - including seven who are in a critical condition - after the blast earlier on Wednesday in Paris' fifth arrondissement, the police department confirmed.
A Paris police official added that the facade of one building had fallen onto the street as a result of the explosion, and that many firefighters and members of the police force were attending to the scene.
'This is chaos,' said Christopher Gaglione, who said he witnessed the scene with others who stood around in the immediate aftermath.
Florence Berthout, mayor of the arrondissement, said those who were critial were in 'absolute emergency' condition.
'The explosion was extremely violent,' she said, describing pieces of glass still falling from buildings.
The neighborhood was cordoned off and scores of emergency workers filled the area.
Paris police spokeswoman Loubna Atta said it was too early to determine the source of the fire and could not confirm reports it was a caused by a gas explosion.
Paris firefighters are currently battling the blaze which is sending smoke soaring over the sky as debris littered the streets below.
The Paris police department said they were making checks on the incident as they also warned people to avoid the area.
Firefighters fought the blaze on Paris' Left Bank as smoke soared over the domed Pantheon monument and prompted evacuation of buildings in the neighborhood, police said.
Local media cited witnesses describing a large explosion preceding the fire, and saying that part of a building collapsed.
Flames and smoke were seen tumbling into the air with footage and images from the scene showing buildings on fire.
Several social media clips showed blackened and destroyed buildings.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said a fire was underway on Rue Saint-Jacques in Paris' fifth arrondissement, close to the Jardin Du Luxembourg and Sorbonne University.
This is breaking news. More to follow…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12219505/Explosion-rocks-Paris-causing-buildings-catch-fire-Police-tell-people-avoid-area.html