Large gas explosion in central Paris - many people injured - 30 dead in gas explosion in China

A large explosion, possibly caused by a gas leak, occured in central Paris on Wednesday afternoon local time. Dozens of people have been injured, and four of them are in critical condition.

The explosion occurred at 5 p.m. in the city's so called fifth arrondissement of the French capital. The blast took place in a building that housed a design school and the Catholic education system headquarters in Rue Saint-Jacques, according to BBC News. 

Several fires broke out in connection to the explosion and two buildings are allegedly partially collapsed. Around 200 firefighters were initially working at the scene and the public was advised to avoid the area.

Media reports differ somewhat on the exact number of injured. Some reports say more than 50 injured, whereas as the BBC mentions at least  37 injured.

The area where the explosion took place is located south of the Latin Quarter in Paris's Left Bank area, which is popular among tourists.

The building where the explosion occurred  has collapsed completely.  An American design school was located in the building.

Initially two missing people were searched for by USAR teams, but on Thursday afternoon the prosecutor's office announced that one of the missing people had already been taken to hospital.

One of two missing people has been found in a hospital, Paris's first deputy mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said on Thursday.

Local deputy mayor, Edouard Civel, said on social media that the cause was a "gas explosion".

However,  authorities said the cause of the blast had not yet been determined.

An investigation has been launched by French prosecutors.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said upon arriving at the blast site that initial checks of camera footage suggested the explosion occurred within the building, which was next to the Val de Grâce church.The prosecution  says the  current focus is on determining whether the explosion was caused by some form of negligence.

30 people died in a gas explosion in China

On Wednesday evening, a gas explosion also occurred at a restaurant in the city of Yinchuan in northwestern China.More than 30 people died in the explosion, the state news agency New China (Xinhua) reports.

The accident was allegedly caused by a gas explosion, according to the news agency. Seven injured survivors are also being treated for their injuries, and one of them is in a critical condition.

The explosion occurred on Wednesday evening local time in a residential area in the central parts of Yinchuan, which is the capital of Ningxia region.

The restaurant was located  on a busy street in the capital of the traditionally Muslim Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region where people were gathering for a holiday, according to the AP.

Photo Credit: 

Central Paris. Photo by Roman Boed, PXhere-license: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/236538?utm_content=shareClip&utm_medium=referral&ut…