On Wednesday, a huge blast destroyed a building in the heart of Paris, injuring 50 people, Franceinfo reports.
After the explosion took place around 17:00, the building was engulfed by flames and collapsed. A renowned fashion school, the Paris American Academy was located in the historical building at 277 rue Saint-Jacques, in the 5th arrondissement of the French capital.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office reported on Thursday morning that there were six seriously injured people and “around fifty victims in total.” Two people had to be recovered from the rubble, one of which was recovered after nightfall.
The president of the institution, Peter Carman, is in hospital and in a critical state, according to an update from the Facebook page of the school. Several other faculty members are thought to be in critical condition.
Witnesses reported smelling gas before the explosion but the origin of the blast remains undetermined.
The public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation for “unintentional injuries caused by a manifestly deliberate breach of a duty of care or safety”. The “initial elements (…) lead us to confirm that this explosion originated in the building”, said Paris public prosecutor Laure Beccuau at the scene.
The Paris American Academy has a student body of less than 50 people but attracts many international students. The University of Kent in the United States stated that its nine students that were following a course at the Paris school are safe.
