A huge gas explosion has rocked the centre of Paris, destroying part of a residential building and sending smoke rising over the French capital.
A huge gas explosion has rocked the centre of Paris, destroying part of a residential building and sending smoke rising over the French capital.
According to The Independent, officials said at least five people were injured in the blast, which blew out windows in an 100m radius and sent debris raining into surrounding streets.
Witnesses said a violent explosion was heard in a several-storey house in the 6th arrondissement at around 12.30pm local time.
“We heard a really loud explosion and saw the smoke,” a student at the nearby Ferrandi culinary institute told reporters.
Thoughts turned to terrorism, but according to initial witness reports on France Info, the blast, in the city's 6th arrondissement, was due to a "domestic" accident. Daily Mail informs the blast is believed to have been caused by a gas leak or a severed gas pipe.