Three dead after suspected gas explosion causes building to collapse in northern France

Three people are dead and at least 14 others have been injured after an explosion, believed to have been caused by a gas leak, caused a building to partly collapse in the French city of Reims.

More than 100 rescue workers, firefighters and bomb and gas experts were deployed to the building in the subsidised housing complex that collapsed on Sunday morning in the city in the Champagne area east of Paris.


Reims mayor Adeline Hazan told France's BFM television that 'a very powerful explosion' had taken place but the cause was unclear.

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Aftermath: Two people have been killed and at least nine others injured after an explosion caused part of a building to collapse in Reims, France


A rescuer and his dog search though the rubble after the building collapsed this morning

She said the bodies of the two people killed remained under the rubble.

The building, which was renovated several years ago, is reported to date from the 1960s or 70s and about a dozen flats are affected.

'Two people died and nine were hurt,' in a provisional toll after the accident, a spokesman for the city's firefighting department told AFP.




Explosion followed by building collapse kills at least two





Blast: The explosion took place in a subsidised housing complex in the city east of Paris, leaving people trapped under the rubble



Search: Rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble of the collapsed housing block



Reims mayor Adeline Hazan told France's BFM television that 'a very powerful explosion' had taken place but the cause was unclear


Firemen survey the damage near the collapsed section of the building. The bodies of the two victims remained trapped under the rubble

Local authorities said the 'probable' cause of the collapse of the four-storey building was a gas explosion.

A photographer present at the scene - citing rescue workers - said victims were still buried under the rubble of the building.


The rescue official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the matter, said he could not immediately confirm whether an explosion had taken place.






A local rescue official says more than 100 rescue workers, firefighters, and bomb and gas experts were deployed to the building