Paris explosion ignites massive fire in France's capital, several injured as smoke plume visible across city

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An explosion in Paris Wednesday sent firefighters rushing to put out a blaze that engulfed the central area of France's capital city. 

Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told reporters there were 16 people injured, including seven in "emergency condition." The fire was contained but not extinguished, he said.

Firefighters fought the flames on Paris' Left Bank on Wednesday that sent smoke soaring over the domed Pantheon monument and prompted evacuation of buildings in the neighborhood, police said. Local media cited witnesses describing a large explosion preceding the fire, and saying that part of a building collapsed.

French outlet BFM TV reported that the explosion was of "unknown" origin at this time. Investigators were looking into potential causes, including the possibility of a gas leak leading to the blast.

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The Paris police chief says the building where the explosion occurred was a private school, the Paris American Academy, which was founded in 1965 and offers teaching in fashion design, interior design, fine arts and creative writing.

French police secure the area after several buildings on fire following a gas explosion in the fifth arrondissement of Paris June 21, 2023. (REUTERS/Antony Paone)

BFM TV said the facade of the Paris American Academy completely collapsed, with debris littering rue Saint-Jacques. 

That building is adjacent to the Val-de-Grâce military hospital, BFM says. 

French soldiers and police secure the area as firefighters work after several buildings on fire following an explosion in the fifth arrondissement of Paris June 21, 2023. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)

Paris police spokeswoman Loubna Atta initially said it was too early to determine the source of the fire and could not confirm reports it was a caused by a gas explosion, The Associated Press reported. BFM TV showed fire services sealing off the streets surrounding the fire and hosing down a building, Reuters said.

Florence Berthout, mayor of the arrondissement, said, "The explosion was extremely violent," describing pieces of glass still falling from buildings.

Nunez described several injuries, some of them critical, but did not provide an exact figure, nor did he specify whether any were in life-threatening condition.

The Paris prosecutor says a probe has been opened into aggravated involuntary injury, and investigators are examining whether the explosion stemmed from a suspected violation of safety rules. 

French firefighters work after several buildings on fire following an explosion in the fifth arrondissement of Paris June 21, 2023. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)

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Parisians shared photos and video to Twitter revealing a massive plume of smoke visible across much of the city.

Photos also showed armed French soldiers guarding the streets surrounding the fire. 

French police secure the area as firefighters and rescue forces work after several buildings on fire following a gas explosion in the fifth arrondissement of Paris June 21, 2023. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)

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Journalist Olivier Galzi also told BFM TV that he witnessed the facade of a nearby building "completely collapse."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.