June 22, 2023
1 min read

More than 30 injured in Paris gas blast

Emergency workers are searching through the wreckage of the building, with atleast two reported to be missing….reports Asian Lite News

Thirty-seven people have been injured, four of them seriously, after a large explosion in central Paris, authorities said.

The blast took place on Wednesday in a building that housed a design school and the Catholic education system headquarters in Rue Saint-Jacques, in the fifth arrondissement of the French capital, BBC reported.

Emergency workers are searching through the wreckage of the building, with atleast two reported to be missing.

According to witnesses, there was a strong smell of gas before the blast, BBC reported.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said after arriving at the scene that initial checks of camera footage suggested the explosion occurred within the building, which was next to the Val de Grace church.

However, the authorities have said the cause of the blast has not yet been determined, BBC reported.

The building was initially engulfed by fire, but the blaze was later brought under control, said Paris police chief Laurent Nunez.

The area has been cordoned off and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has been to the scene.

He said sniffer dogs had identified where further victims might be found under the rubble.

The area where the explosion took place runs south from the Latin Quarter in Paris’s Left Bank area that is popular with tourists and known for its student population.

A student at Ecole des Mines on Boulevard Saint-Michel told Le Parisien: “I was in front of the Val de Grace, I heard a huge boom and I saw a ball of fire 20 or 30m high. And the building collapsed with a huge noise. I smelled gas, but took several minutes to come to my senses.”

Another witness, Antoine Brouchot, told the BBC he was at home when he heard a “big explosion”.

“I stuck my head out of 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.”

ALSO READ: UAE, Italy boost economic partnership

Previous Story

UAE celebrates Yoga Day

Next Story

Fresh Russia sanctions target 48 Australian citizens

Latest from -Top News

Ould Tah to head AfDB

Tah, a seasoned economist and development financier, will formally assume office on 1 September 2025, taking over from Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the

Big pay bump for SA workers

The landmark move, which follows months of intense negotiations with trade unions, is expected to benefit millions of civil servants across national and provincial departments. South Africa’s government has confirmed a sweeping

Deadly floods ravage Nigeria

Triggered by torrential rains and the collapse of a nearby dam on May 28, 2025, the floods have submerged vast areas, destroyed infrastructure, and displaced thousands of residents. The death toll from

Piyush Goyal Begins Europe Visit

As part of the visit, the minister will meet top leadership of major French companies such as Vicat, Total Energies, L’Oreal, Renault, Valeo, EDF and ATR….reports Asian Lite News Union Minister of

Call to Greylist Pakistan Over Terror Links

Freddy Svane, the former Danish Ambassador to India, said that it is high time for the world to acknowledge that Pakistan remains the epicentre of terrorism in the region….reports Asian Lite News
Go toTop

Don't Miss

European Parliament clears 2 key digital laws to tame big tech

Very large online platforms and search engines (with 45 million

Australia eases curbs despite Omicron worries

In addition, non-essential retail venues such as restaurants and retail