fire firegeezer on 31 Oct 2007 08:56 am
Gas Explosion, Fire In Paris Suburb
AFP photo
A BACKHOE EXCAVATING A DOWNTOWN STREET in the Paris, France, suburb of Bondy struck a gas main yesterday. The breakage sparked a fire that initially torched about 60 feet high and set a building facing the street ablaze. The fire spread into two adjoining buildings before it was completely extinguished. The fire at the gas main continued to burn for 90 minutes after the supply had been cut off.
Reuters
The resulting fire killed one person and injured at least 42 more with 12 of them in serious condition from burns.
About 150 firefighters and 40 trucks worked the fire that started about 2 pm Paris time. Gilbert Roger, the mayor of Bondy, said that a restaurant and another building had caught fire.
Reuters
“There was a very strong explosion,” a witness told French radio. “We saw people running. There were enormous flames, several metres high,” he said.
Le Monde has a pretty good VIDEO.
