An amazing impact caused by a gas leak at a Paris bakery Saturday killed four individuals and harmed no less than 47, sparking an all-out emergency response and evacuation of residents.
The blast and fire impacted out the windows and even overturned cars, French authorities said. The incident happened over Rue de Trevise in the upmarket 9th arrondissement of north-central Paris, not a long way from the shopping district that incorporates the famed headquarters of of Galeries Lafayette.
In any event fourpeople were killed by the explosion, including two firefighters, and at least 47 people were also injured, with 10 in critical condition.
The Spanish foreign minister says a Spanish lady is among those killed. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell tweeted that “I deeply regret the death of three people after the explosion in central Paris, including a Spanish woman.” He offered his condolences to her relatives and “wishes for a quick recovery to the other injured Spaniard.”
It was initially reported that four people died in the incident.
“Unfortunately the human toll is particularly serious,” France’s interior minister Christophe Castaner told the media. He added that “the situation is under control” and described his “shock” after seeing the damage.
Around 200 firefighters and police were involved in the emergency operation. A helicopter landed in the region to evacuate the wounded people.
The cause of the explosion appears to be an accidental gas leak,, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz stated, however an investigation was opened to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
He noted that firefighters were at that point at the scene to check on the gas leak at the bakery before the explosion occurred.