10 killed in Paris fire, arson suspected
PARIS: The deadliest fire in Paris in over a decade claimed 10 lives on Tuesday, sending fleeing residents to the roof as flames engulfed their apartment building before dawn.
A 40-year-old female resident of the building, said to have a history of psychiatric problems, was arrested as police opened an investigation into arson resulting in death. Officials said she was drunk when she was apprehended on the street near the eight-storey building in the quiet neighbourhood.
It is the deadliest fire in Paris since the April 2005 hotel fire near the capital’s famed Opera that killed 24 people.
Interior minister Christophe Castaner was on the scene on Tuesday morning.“i want to salute the huge mobilization of the Paris firefighters,” he said. “More than 250 people arrived immediately and, throughout the night, saved over 50 people in truly exceptional conditions.”
Firefighters rescued some people from the roof as well as others who had clambered out of windows to escape the flames.
Castaner said the blaze that started on the second floor had been extinguished, and that more than 30 people were being treated for “relatively” light injuries.
FOUR CHILDREN KILLED IN UK HOUSE FIRE
Four children were killed in a house fire in UK’S Stafford town on Tuesday, police said. A Staffordshire police spokesman said they received a call at about 2.40am about the fire in a house located in the Highfields area.
“A search at the property is ongoing, but it is with great sadness we can confirm the deaths of four children at the property. Two adults and a child are being treated in hospital. Their injuries are not life-threatening,” the spokesman said. He said officials were trying to find out the cause of the fire.