At least seven people are killed in huge fire in eight-storey tower block in upmarket Paris neighbourhood popular with tourists
- Seven people are dead and at least 27 others hurt after a building fire in Paris
- Blaze tore through eight-storey block in French capital’s 16th arrondissement
- Witnesses said survivors had to climb across roofs to escape spreading inferno
- 200 firefighters were on the scene this morning trying to control the flames
At least seven people died and another was seriously injured in a building fire in a wealthy Paris neighbourhood on Monday night, the fire service said.
The blaze, which took hold in an eight-storey block in the French capital’s trendy 16th arrondissement, left 27 people, including three firefighters, with minor injuries.
Some of those affected scrambled on to nearby roofs to escape the smoke and flames, and needed to be rescued by fire crews.
200 firefighters battled to control the blaze and rescue survivors who fled onto nearby roofs
The riverside 16th arrondissement is close to famous landmarks including the Eiffel Tower
With landmarks including the Trocadero overlooking the Eiffel Tower, Paris Saint-Germain’s home stadium the Parc des Princes, the picturesque Bois de Bologne and an array of upmarket shops and restaurants, the area is popular with tourists.
Fire service spokesman Clement Cognon told AFP: ‘We had to carry out many rescues, including some people who had taken refuge on the roofs.’
At approximately 3:30am, fire crews had finished evacuating the block on Erlanger Street but were still fighting the flames. Several surrounding buildings were also evacuated.
Around 200 firefighters were still at the scene in the early hours of Tuesday, battling the blaze and treating the injured.
More to follow
The area is popular with tourists due to its central location in the French capital
The block had been evacuated early today but firefighters continued to battle the flames