Apartment House Blast in Suburb of Paris Kills 5
A pre-dawn explosion blew apart a five-story apartment building Thursday, killing at least five people, injuring eight and possibly burying others in the wreckage, officials said.
About 170 rescue workers aided by dogs searched the ruins for other survivors or victims. Dozens of emergency vehicles converged on the site.
Police said 49 people lived in the building, in the town of Massy, on the western outskirts of Paris. By midmorning, all but eight to 10 residents were accounted for, and authorities said they did not know how many of those might be in the rubble.
“We haven’t heard any call for help from under the debris,” said Jean-Louis Duffeigneux, a regional administrator.
The cause of the early morning blast was not established officially, but firemen said it appeared to have been a gas leak. In all, 37 apartments were destroyed.
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