7 dead, 28 injured after fire breaks out in western Paris building

TIL Desk/World/Paris/ At least seven people were killed and over 28 injured on Tuesday due to a blaze in an eight-storey building in the French capital, fire services said. The fire broke out after midnight and raged until 6.30 a.m., destroying the 1970s building almost completely. Fire department spokesman Clement Cognon said the cause of the blaze was being investigated.

He said the authorities have not ruled out the possibility of finding more bodies especially in the higher floors of the now-damaged building, located near Bois de Bologne, a large public park in an area which houses an array of upscale shops and restaurants.

The fire department said two blocks adjacent to the building were evacuated as a precaution. Many people escaping flames and smoke took shelter in the roof of the building which further complicated the rescue efforts. According to reports, at least 50 people have been rescued so far.