Explosion at Paris fashion school injures 37, cause under investigation

An explosion and subsequent fire occurred in central Paris’ 5th district at a building housing the Paris American Academy, a private fashion school, resulting in at least 37 people injured, with four in critical condition. Authorities are investigating the possibility of a gas leak as the cause of the explosion and are searching for at least two missing people. The incident prompted the mobilisation of 270 firefighters and 70 fire engines to control the situation.

The explosion shattered windows and caused damage to buildings more than 400 metres away. Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, expressed her condolences and wishes for the injured and their families through Twitter. Laurent Nuñez, the Paris Police Chief, stated that the fire, which broke out after the explosion, had been brought under control and the search for the missing people continued.

The fire was…