Huge explosion rocks Paris, 16 injured
Paris, Jun 21: A strong explosion hit a building in Paris' Left Bank on Wednesday, leaving at least 16 injured and igniting a fire that sent smoke soaring over city monuments and prompted the evacuation of surrounding buildings, police said.
The cause of the blast was not immediately known.
The facade of a building in the 5th arrondissement, or district, collapsed and emergency services were working to determine if anyone was still inside, a Paris police official said. The explosion hit near the historic Val de Grace military hospital.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told reporters there were 16 people injured, including seven in "emergency condition." The authorities did not specify whether the injured were in life-threatening condition.
The fire was contained but not extinguished, Nunez said.
Florence Berthout, mayor of the arrondissement, said, "The explosion was extremely violent," describing pieces of glass still falling from buildings.
The police official described several injuries, some of them critical, but did not provide an exact figure as emergency workers continued their search.
The smell of smoke lingered in the air while the gray plume visibly lessened as firefighters battled the blaze. The neighbourhood was cordoned off and scores of emergency workers, police and soldiers filled the area.
Paris police spokeswoman Loubna Atta said it was too early to determine the source of the fire and could not confirm reports it was caused by a gas explosion.
Achille, a student, said he was in a building about 100 metres (yards) from the explosion.
"I was sitting on the windowsill, and we moved 2 metres away from the window, carried by a small blast (from the explosion) and huge fear," he told BFM television. His last name was not given.
"We came down (from the building) and saw the flames," he said. "The police gave us great support and we evacuated quickly."
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Minor boy strangled to death for ransom in UP's Sultanpur
Sultanpur (PTI): A debt-ridden neighbour allegedly kidnapped and murdered an 11-year-old boy boy at Sultanpur, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, Asif alias Sonu, demanded a ransom of Rs 5,00,000 for releasing Osama alias Sahil to repay his debts, Kotwali police station SHO Naradmuni Singh said.
"The incident took place in the Gandhinagar locality of Sultanpur. The victim's father, Mohd Shakeel, said his son went missing on Monday night after he left to attend a wedding procession. Despite searches, there was no trace of the child," the SHO said.
On Wednesday morning, Osama's body with strangulation marks was found at the residence of the accused whom the police arrested, he said.
Asif, who lives in the same neighbourhood as the victim, exploited the trust built between the two families to carry out the crime, the officer said.
The killing of the minor boy has triggered outrage in the area with the residents demanding stringent punishment for the accused.
The victim's family has called for death penalty for Asif.
