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Suspect arrested in Paris apartment blaze that killed eight

There were two fires in two hours.

By Andrew V. Pestano
A fire early Wednesday killed at least 8 people in an apartment building located on 4 rue Myrha in the 18th district of Paris. Image courtesy of Google
A fire early Wednesday killed at least 8 people in an apartment building located on 4 rue Myrha in the 18th district of Paris. Image courtesy of Google

PARIS, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- French police have arrested a man suspected of starting a fire in a Paris apartment building that killed eight people, including two children, early Wednesday.

The suspect, reportedly in his 30s, was found with a candle and a lighter. Police arrested the man based on witnesses testimony and closed-circuit television footage.

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The fire began in a five-floor private residential apartment building in the capital's northern Goutte d'Or neighborhood. Two of the deceased died when they attempted to escape through windows. Four were are in critical condition.

A Paris fire brigade responded to a call at about 2 a.m. of paper burning in the hallway of the building, located in Paris' 18th arrondissement at 4 rue Myrha. About two hours later, fire crews responded to a second fire call that seems to have started on the ground floor of the building before it spread into the stairwell.

The second fire moved through the stairwell of the apartment buildings and up to the roof, setting several apartments ablaze. About 100 firefighters fought the flames.

The first fire was "rapidly put out, but nearly two hours later we were called out again to a fire, this time in the stairwell," Gabriel Plus of the Paris fire service said, adding that the possibility of a "malicious act" could not be ruled out. A criminal investigation has been launched.

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This is one of the deadliest fires in Paris in the last decade. The 2005 Paris Opera hotel fire killed 24 people, including 11 children.

"Paris is bereaved this morning," Mayor Anne Hidalgo said, adding that up to 15 buildings may have also been damaged.

The building was in good condition before the fire and had no previous problems before the blaze.

"My solidarity to the victims of the fire in the Myrha street and their families," French President Francois Hollande said. "Everything is being done to shed light on this tragedy."

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