At least seven people, including two children, have died after an explosion sent fire raging through a building in southern France, reports The Guardian.
One of the victims of the blaze that started in a three-story building in the coastal town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque, north-east of Perpignan, was reported to be a baby.
The French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, who was on an official visit to police in Montpellier, 96 miles (155km) from the tragedy, was expected at the scene on Monday afternoon.
He confirmed the provisional death toll of seven people including two children but added: “Unfortunately, the work of the firefighters and other services is not finished so this may not be definite.”
The French prime minister, Jean Castex, send his condolences to the victims’ families and friends and praised the work of the emergency services who he said were working “in difficult circumstances”.