NTwo people have been found dead after a residential building collapsed in the French port city of Marseille. As the fire department announced on Monday night, two bodies were discovered in the rubble. In view of the difficult operation, it will take time to recover the fatalities, it said. Eight people had previously been reported missing.
Five people in neighboring houses were injured in the collapse that was probably caused by a gas explosion on Sunday night. More than 180 people had to be evacuated from adjacent buildings.
The four-storey building in the center of Marseille collapsed at around 0.40 a.m. on Sunday night. The streets around the collapsed building were cordoned off, and numerous emergency services were on site. Smoke was still rising from the rubble in the evening.
“Strong suspicion” also an explosion
There is a “strong suspicion” that an explosion caused the collapse, said the region’s prefect, Christophe Mirmand. Gas is a “possible option”, but caution is needed at this time with regard to possible causes.
The fire brigade was initially unable to provide any information on the number of people who were in the building before the collapse. Neighboring buildings in the area known for its lively nightlife were evacuated, and the residents temporarily accommodated in a school.
An eyewitness named Aziz, who declined to give his last name, told AFP it was an “explosion” that “shook everything”. “We saw people running, there was smoke everywhere, the building collapsed onto the street,” said the man, who says he runs a late-night store on the street where the collapsed building is located.
In November 2018, eight people died when two buildings collapsed in Marseille. Both houses were in bad need of renovation. According to the mayor and the prefect, the building that has now collapsed showed no signs of dilapidation. “We’re not dealing with a poor housing street here,” Mayor Payan said.
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