A violent explosion devastated a house on Rue Paul Verlaine in Aubervilliers, Seine- Saint-Denis , on Saturday evening . The toll is particularly heavy: a two-year-old child died and seven people were injured, three of whom were in critical condition. According to initial reports to authorities, the explosion was caused by a gas leak. A judicial investigation has been opened under the authority of the Bobigny public prosecutor's office to determine the precise circumstances of the tragedy.
Emergency services deployed a large contingent after the explosion. Approximately 110 firefighters from the Paris Fire Brigade were mobilized, including teams specializing in urban rescue and canine units. The prefecture initially reported an "incident" in the street and established a security perimeter, without revealing the exact nature of the events. The operation lasted several hours to secure the area and search for any potential victims.
A neighborhood devastated in the aftermath of the explosion
On Sunday morning, residents discovered the extensive damage caused by the explosion. In this residential neighborhood, the force of the blast deeply affected the locals. One neighbor recounted feeling her building shake before seeing thick black smoke rising in the area. She also mentioned a strong smell of gas and compared the scene to "a war" or "a bomb," attesting to the brutality of the explosion.
While the victims are still receiving medical care, the investigation must now determine precisely the source of the leak and the circumstances that led to the explosion. Emergency crews also had to prevent the blaze from causing further casualties in the surrounding area. The mayor of Aubervilliers, Sofienne Karroumi, praised the intervention of the firefighters, police officers, emergency services, as well as the teams from GRDF and Enedis , who were mobilized at the scene for several hours.
