Building collapse injures several in France as fire hampers search

Marseille, The Gulf Observer: The collapse of a four-storey residential building in France’s Marseille has left at least five people from surrounding structures injured, with a fire preventing rescue workers in their search for victims.

The collapse of the building in the southern port city occurred around 2240 GMT (1240am local) on Sunday, damaging parts of the two surrounding buildings, Marseille mayor Benoit Payan told reporters.

So far, five people were injured from two residences next to the collapsed building in the central La Plaine district, he said, but the fire in the rubble was “ongoing”.

“(The fire) is extremely difficult to control… The firefighters are judging minute by minute how best to put out this fire because there are potentially people alive inside,” Payan said.

“We have to be prepared to have victims in this terrible tragedy.”

It remains unclear how many residents were in the collapsed building, authorities said.

In the surrounding buildings, more than 30 residents were “affected”, while five were injured. All evacuees were currently sheltering in schools and nurseries.

Regional prefect Christophe Mirmand said there were “strong suspicions” that an explosion caused the collapse, possibly a gas leak.

A late-night food vendor working on the street said “everything shook” during what sounded like an explosion. “We saw people running and there was smoke everywhere,” said Aziz, who declined to give his last name.

Gilles, who lives on a side street near the fallen building, said the crash “sounded like an explosion,” also declining to provide his last name.

Another major structural collapse occurred in Marseille in November 2018, when two dilapidated buildings in the working-class district of Noailles caved in, killing eight people.

The accident cast a light on the city’s housing standards.

But authorities appeared to rule out structural issues in the latest collapse, in a neighbourhood known for its bars and nightlife.

“There was no danger code for this building, and it is not in a neighbourhood identified as having substandard housing,” said Mirmand.