BANKING

Fire Guts Credit Lyonnais Headquarters: Twelve people, nine of them firefighters, suffered minor injuries in the fire at the state-owned bank in central Paris. The ornate mid-19th-century building is a massive stone structure occupying an entire block. About 250 firefighters and 36 fire engines were dispatched to battle the blaze, authorities said. The fire is the latest blow to the troubled institution, which suffered record losses in 1994 and was bailed out by the government. The imposing Second Empire facade was not damaged, but the burned-out interior could be seen through the tall windows. Police said the fire was probably caused by a short circuit in cabling in the first-floor dealing room, which was filled with electronic equipment.