Explosion In Paris: Eight Dead And Counting

An explosion in Paris rocked France’s capital Sunday, and so far there are eight people known to be dead. It is unknown what caused the explosion in an apartment building outside Paris, but it is presumed to be possible sabotage.

The collapsed four-story building is known to have injured eleven, four of which were serious. Among those found dead are; one 40-year-old woman, one 45-year-old woman, three children ages ten, 14, and 18, one woman in her 80s who lived on the bottom floor, one man in his fifties, and one more adult. Only two have been pulled from the wreckage alive, and construction and rescue teams are still searching the rubble in Rosny-sous-Bois.

The two survivors are children ages ten and 13.

One woman told authorities that her son and his family had just returned from the Breton coast Saturday night to their second-floor apartment and doubted any of them made it out alive.

Another woman, a neighbor, said she was shocked and will never forget the sight of one of the survivors:

“He was protected by a mattress and a large block of concrete above his head. They saved his life. I can’t stop thinking of his little arm and leg sticking out of the rubble.”

The explosion in Paris had happened in an apartment building which had allegedly received no complaints thanks to regular maintenance of the premises. This led to suspicions of possible sabotage, such as a gas leak. The Interior Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, had stopped by the site and confirmed that the cause was probably a gas leak.

Investigations have begun with the possible gas leak in mind, and the remaining residents of the building have been given alternative accommodations. Cleanup crews and rescue personnel are still maintaining hopes that more survivors will be found, and estimate that it will take up to 48 hours to comb through and clean up the wreckage.

7 confirmed dead from building explosion in Paris suburb: http://t.co/xiaFyantC5 pic.twitter.com/y5OWt9VEaV

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The cause of the explosion in Paris has yet to be fully determined as there had been no complaints of a gas leak and the explosion had been much too large for a gas canister. There were reports of gas and electric work being done under the sidewalk by the building the week before.

This weekend was also known to be a period of time when many in France would be returning from vacations before the school year starts, so it is impossible to predict how many people were caught in the wreckage of the explosion in Paris.

All facts considered, the tragedy could very well have been the result of sabotage, and is under investigation as possible manslaughter.

[image via Euro News]