The collapse of a four-storey building in the southern French port city of Marseille has injured at least five people, but a fire is hampering rescue workers’ efforts in their search for other possible victims.
The city’s mayor, Benoit Bayan, told reporters that the collapse of the building in the La Plaine area in central Marseille occurred around 00:40 (22:40 GMT), damaging parts of the two surrounding buildings.
“A fire broke out in the ruins (of the building), which prevented us from sending dogs and teams to search for possible victims under the rubble,” he added.
Payan spoke of five injured people who were evacuated from two nearby buildings affected by the collapse.
The streets surrounding the dusty building were closed off and a number of relief teams are stationed, according to an AFP photographer.
District police chief Christophe Mirmand told AFP that there was “high suspicion” that an explosion caused the building’s collapse and could have been caused by a gas leak. But he emphasized that “we have to remain very careful about the causes at this point.”
Officials said an investigation has been launched into the cause of the collapse.
The chief of the navy’s fire brigades confirmed that 100 firefighters were working at the site. He pointed out that “the priority is to extinguish the fire and remove the rubble to find people who are likely to be under it.”
Gilles, who lives on a side street near the collapsed building, told AFP that the building’s collapse caused a “huge” sound, explaining that “it sounded like an explosion” that occurred when two buildings collapsed in Marseille in November 2018.