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| Paris Fire Kills at Least 10 in Apartment Building; Arson Is Suspected | Paris Fire Kills at Least 10 in Apartment Building; Arson Is Suspected |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| PARIS — At least 10 people were killed and 37 injured after a fast-moving fire that may have been intentionally set coursed through an eight-story building in a residential part of western Paris on Tuesday. | PARIS — At least 10 people were killed and 37 injured after a fast-moving fire that may have been intentionally set coursed through an eight-story building in a residential part of western Paris on Tuesday. |
| The fire, which the authorities were treating as a possible case of arson and which appeared to be tied to a neighborhood dispute, was the deadliest in the French capital in over a decade. | The fire, which the authorities were treating as a possible case of arson and which appeared to be tied to a neighborhood dispute, was the deadliest in the French capital in over a decade. |
| Footage from the scene provided by the Paris Fire Department to French television showed flames bursting through the upper windows of the building and black smoke swirling around the courtyard, as firefighters climbed up ladders to reach people at their windows. Some were lowered to the ground using harnesses. | Footage from the scene provided by the Paris Fire Department to French television showed flames bursting through the upper windows of the building and black smoke swirling around the courtyard, as firefighters climbed up ladders to reach people at their windows. Some were lowered to the ground using harnesses. |
| The police opened a criminal investigation and Rémy Heitz, the Paris prosecutor, told reporters early Tuesday that a 40-year-old woman who lived in the building, on Rue Erlanger, in the 16th Arrondissement, had been taken into custody nearby. | The police opened a criminal investigation and Rémy Heitz, the Paris prosecutor, told reporters early Tuesday that a 40-year-old woman who lived in the building, on Rue Erlanger, in the 16th Arrondissement, had been taken into custody nearby. |
| “This person was arrested overnight, not far from the scene, not far from the fire,” Mr. Heitz said. He said that the woman had a history of mental health issues but did not provide more details about her identity or the reasons for her arrest. | “This person was arrested overnight, not far from the scene, not far from the fire,” Mr. Heitz said. He said that the woman had a history of mental health issues but did not provide more details about her identity or the reasons for her arrest. |
| The fire was the deadliest since 2005, when 24 people, including 11 children, were killed in a hotel near the Paris Opera, a tragedy that was the worst of its kind since World War II. In 2015, eight people died in a fire that tore through an apartment building in the 18th Arrondissement of the capital. | |
| Firefighters were called to Rue Erlanger around 1 a.m., according to Capt. Valérian Fuet, a spokesman for the Paris Fire Department, who said over 200 firefighters worked for hours until the blaze was finally put out between 6 and 7 a.m. | Firefighters were called to Rue Erlanger around 1 a.m., according to Capt. Valérian Fuet, a spokesman for the Paris Fire Department, who said over 200 firefighters worked for hours until the blaze was finally put out between 6 and 7 a.m. |
| Captain Fuet said that one person was seriously injured and that eight firefighters were among those who had suffered lighter injuries. About 50 people were evacuated from the building, he said, as were people in neighboring structures who were told to leave as a precaution. Those who had died appeared to have been burned or inhaled the smoke. | Captain Fuet said that one person was seriously injured and that eight firefighters were among those who had suffered lighter injuries. About 50 people were evacuated from the building, he said, as were people in neighboring structures who were told to leave as a precaution. Those who had died appeared to have been burned or inhaled the smoke. |
| “When we arrived, the fire had already started on several floors,” Captain Fuet told reporters later Tuesday morning, adding that the blaze had spread very rapidly. | “When we arrived, the fire had already started on several floors,” Captain Fuet told reporters later Tuesday morning, adding that the blaze had spread very rapidly. |
| He said that the fire had started in a part of the apartment complex that opens onto a courtyard rather than the street, preventing the firefighters from using mechanical ladders from their trucks, and forcing them instead to use hand ladders to help residents escape. | He said that the fire had started in a part of the apartment complex that opens onto a courtyard rather than the street, preventing the firefighters from using mechanical ladders from their trucks, and forcing them instead to use hand ladders to help residents escape. |
| Firefighters were still searching for survivors and assessing damage, including a potential risk that the seventh and eighth floors might collapse, Captain Fuet said. | Firefighters were still searching for survivors and assessing damage, including a potential risk that the seventh and eighth floors might collapse, Captain Fuet said. |
| Pierre-Alexandre Vézinet, a 30-year-old mobile app developer who lives on a street perpendicular to Rue Erlanger, said that he heard a siren shortly after going to bed shortly after midnight, but initially thought it was nothing to be concerned about. | Pierre-Alexandre Vézinet, a 30-year-old mobile app developer who lives on a street perpendicular to Rue Erlanger, said that he heard a siren shortly after going to bed shortly after midnight, but initially thought it was nothing to be concerned about. |
| “Police go by almost every night, so I didn’t worry,” he said in a telephone interview. “Several minutes later I heard another one. Then another, and yet another.” | “Police go by almost every night, so I didn’t worry,” he said in a telephone interview. “Several minutes later I heard another one. Then another, and yet another.” |
| Mr. Vézinet saw emergency service vehicles crowd the street, and later that morning he saw residents of the building that had caught fire. | Mr. Vézinet saw emergency service vehicles crowd the street, and later that morning he saw residents of the building that had caught fire. |
| “I saw two women who were covered in a foil blanket, with a firefighter,” he said. “They were covered in soot, you could tell they had just left the building.” | “I saw two women who were covered in a foil blanket, with a firefighter,” he said. “They were covered in soot, you could tell they had just left the building.” |
| Julien Denormandie, the French minister in charge of housing, told reporters at the scene that the building was about 50 years old and was not known to be at risk. | Julien Denormandie, the French minister in charge of housing, told reporters at the scene that the building was about 50 years old and was not known to be at risk. |
| President Emmanuel Macron said in a message on Twitter that his thoughts were with the victims of the fire, and he thanked the firefighters “whose bravery made it possible to save many lives.” | President Emmanuel Macron said in a message on Twitter that his thoughts were with the victims of the fire, and he thanked the firefighters “whose bravery made it possible to save many lives.” |
| The fire on Tuesday came several weeks after a powerful explosion tore through a bakery in the 9th Arrondissement, killing four people, including two firefighters, and wounding more than 60. The authorities believe that blast was caused by a gas leak, and an investigation is underway. | The fire on Tuesday came several weeks after a powerful explosion tore through a bakery in the 9th Arrondissement, killing four people, including two firefighters, and wounding more than 60. The authorities believe that blast was caused by a gas leak, and an investigation is underway. |