Firefighters fought a blaze in central Paris on Wednesday that sent smoke soaring over the domed Pantheon monument and prompted evacuation of buildings in the neighborhood, police said.
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Witnesses in the fifth arrondissment (district) of Paris described hearing a large explosion preceding the fire, adding that part of a building collapsed.Â
The mayor of the district, located on the Left Bank of Paris, said four people were rushed to hospital in critical condition.
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.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin urged people to avoid the area around rue Saint-Jacques so as not to hinder rescue workers.
Un incendie est en cours rue Saint-Jacques, dans le 5ème arrondissement de Paris. Les sapeurs-pompiers de Paris interviennent. Merci de ne pas gêner leur intervention et d’éviter le secteur.@prefpolice @PompiersParis
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) June 21, 2023
(FRANCE 24 with AP, Reuters)
This story originally appeared on France24
