According to French media, seven individuals are in a critical condition and nine others have been injured following a significant explosion in Paris.
The explosion ignited buildings, leaving debris scattered across a street and billowing a plume of black smoke over the French capital.
The mayor of the fifth arrondissement, where the explosion occurred, has stated that the fire was caused by a gas explosion.
However, Loubna Atta, a spokesperson for the Paris police, stated that it is too early to determine the origin of the fire and could not confirm reports suggesting a gas-related cause.
Gerald Darmanin, the interior minister, informed that a fire had erupted on Rue Saint-Jacques in Paris’s fifth arrondissement, near the Jardin Du Luxembourg and Sorbonne University.
A police official mentioned that the facade of a building had collapsed onto the street due to the explosion, and numerous firefighters and police personnel were present at the scene.
Authorities are advising people to avoid the area.