PARIS – The death toll from an overnight fire in Paris has risen to 10, the fire service and local prosecutor’s office said Tuesday.
The blaze in the French capital’s trendy 16th arrondissement also left 27 people – including three firefighters – with minor injuries.
Officials had warned earlier that the toll could rise as rescue workers searched the top floors of the eight-storey apartment block which was gutted by the huge blaze.
Described by firefighters as a “scene of incredible violence”, the blaze started at about 1:00 am (0000 GMT). Its cause is so far unknown.
Some of those affected scrambled on to nearby roofs to escape the smoke and flames, and needed to be rescued by fire crews.
With landmarks including the Trocadero overlooking the Eiffel Tower, Paris Saint-Germain’s home stadium the Parc des Princes, the picturesque Bois de Bologne and an array of upmarket shops and restaurants, the area in the capital’s southwest is popular with tourists.
Captain Cognon added: “We had to carry out many rescues, including some people who had taken refuge on the roofs. Thirty people were evacuated on ladders.”
At approximately 5:00 am (0400 GMT), fire crews had finished evacuating the block on rue Erlanger but were still fighting the flames.
Two adjacent buildings were also evacuated as a precaution and local officials were on site to help find housing for residents who could not go back to their homes.
Around 200 firefighters were still at the scene in the early hours of Tuesday, battling the blaze and treating the injured.
