Ten people were trapped under the rubble in the collapse of a building in Marseille

A residential building in the French port city of Marseille collapsed as a result of a loud explosion Photo: AP Photo

Ten people were injured for fear of being trapped under the rubble after an apartment building in Marseille collapsed in an explosion.

Officers said they expected loss of life as firefighters tried to put out a blaze in a residential area of ​​La Plaine.

Five people were taken to hospital and dozens of residents were evacuated after the collapse buildings shortly after midnight on Sunday.

Eyewitnesses said they heard an explosion before the four-story building on Tivoli Street collapsed. on himself and fell.
One night street vendor said everything was shaking when it happened.

"We saw people running and there was smoke everywhere" he told AFP.

A four-story apartment building collapsed in the center of France's second largest city. Photo: NIKOLAS TYUKA/AFP via Getty Images. was confirmed.

The fire, which was still burning on Sunday, made it difficult for sniffer dogs and firefighters to rescue survivors.

"We must be prepared for the fact that there will be victims in this terrible tragedy, " This was stated by the mayor of Marseille Benoit Payan. He added that an investigation into «unintentional injuries» had been launched.

Home Secretary Gerald Darmanin arrived on the scene on Sunday morning to inspect the damage and said four to 10 people could be buried under the rubble.

Firefighters fight the fire. Photo: CLEMENT MAUDO

Some 30 nearby buildings were also affected and around 80 residents were evacuated.

The overnight incident can be compared to another structural collapse in Marseille in 2018, when a pair of dilapidated buildings in the Noailles working area collapsed on itself, killing eight people and sparking public outrage over the city's poor housing standards.

But the mayor and a senior Marseille official quickly dismissed the possibility that weak building codes and structural integrity were the cause of yesterday's incident.

«The hazard decree is not published. for this building, and this is not an area with unsanitary housing,” said state official Christoph Myrmand.

Mayor Payan said: “As far as I know, there are no particular problems with this building. We are not dealing with a street with unsanitary housing.»

President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: «Emotions with Marseille where a building collapsed on Tivoli Street last night. I think of the victims and their loved ones. The search continues with the involvement of significant resources. Thanks to the firefighters and rescuers who were mobilized.”