Apartment building partially collapses in Paris suburb after explosion, 2 killed

French firemen search in the rubble of a building after an explosion collapsed it Sunday in Rosny-sous-Bois, outside Paris.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

French firemen search in the rubble of a building after an explosion collapsed it Sunday in Rosny-sous-Bois, outside Paris.

PARIS — A four-story apartment building in a northeastern Paris suburb partially collapsed after an explosion Sunday, killing a child and an elderly person, authorities said. Six more people were thought to be underneath the rubble.

Speaking on i-Tele, fire department spokesman Gabriel Plus said around 10 people were rescued from the disaster in Rosny-sous-Bois. Plus said emergency teams were working hard to locate people that may be still alive, using sniffer dogs in the search.

“We could still find living victims in the hours to come,” he said.

Philippe Galli, Seine-Saint-Denis prefect, said the explosion was “most probably” the result of a gas leak.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve arrived at the scene and pledged his support to the families and victims. He said the 22 people from the remaining two thirds of the building have been given alternative lodging, since the entire structure is perilous.

Speaking from La Rochelle Sunday at a socialist party conference, Prime Minister Manuel Valls began his speech by sending out a “message of solidarity” to the victims.