An explosion sounded and started a fire in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, at the end of the afternoon this Wednesday, June 21, 2023. The origin of the explosion is not yet certain. Firefighters are on site.
A detonation and a cloud of black smoke. This Wednesday, June 21, 2023, around 5 p.m., an explosion occurred rue Saint-Jacques, in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. A major explosion was felt in the vicinity. The firefighters intervened only a few minutes after the explosion, they are still on site to evacuate and secure the scene. A fire broke out as seen in footage from the scene.
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Explosion in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, residents evacuated
A strong explosion occurred on Wednesday June 21 rue Saint-Jacques near the church of Val-de-Grâce. pic.twitter.com/yeTEcWeRUv
– Louis Montpellier Nation (@Natio_1976) June 21, 2023
The origin of the explosion is not yet known but a gas leak could be the cause of the explosion. “It smelled of gas in the street,” said a resident of the Parisian street to Release, while another reported the words of the firefighters: “Passersby told us that the firefighters had told them to back off because there was a second gas leak”. The explosion could extend over an area larger than rue Saint-Jacques.
The mayor of the 5th arrondissement of the capital, Florence Berthout, is expected on site. She informed Liberation “that there are no victims on the Val-de-Grâce site”.
More information to come…