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2 firefighters, Spanish woman, killed in Paris suspected gas explosion

By Sam Howard
Firefighters at the scene of an explosion at a bakery near Rue de Trevise in Paris, France, January 12, 2019. Two firefighters have died following a suspected gas leak that led to an explosion of a bakery in Paris. EPA-EFE/Ian Langsdon
Firefighters at the scene of an explosion at a bakery near Rue de Trevise in Paris, France, January 12, 2019. Two firefighters have died following a suspected gas leak that led to an explosion of a bakery in Paris. EPA-EFE/Ian Langsdon

Jan. 12 (UPI) -- At least two firefighters and a woman from Spain are dead after an explosion in central Paris on Saturday morning.

Officials believe a gas leak caused the blast, which struck a bakery on Rue de Trevise at about 9 a.m., The New York Times reported. Two firefighters were killed, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Twitter. He added that dozens of other individuals were injured. Spain's Foreign Ministry also confirmed that a Spanish woman died in the explosion.

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More than 200 firefighters worked the incident, Castaner said, and CNN reported the firefighters evacuated residents from apartments above the bakery.

At least some of the firefighters were at the site of the gas leak before the explosion occurred, Paris prosecutor Rémy Heitz said in the Times report.

"First there was a gas leak, then the arrival of the firefighters, followed by an explosion that caused the fire," Heitz said.

Castaner said the incident was "under control."

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