A few hours after the powerful explosion that rocked the Val-de-Gras district in the 5th arrondissement of Paris in the afternoon, causing the partial collapse of a building and injuring dozens of people, residents and shopkeepers are worried about their safety.

Rescue crews continue searching the ruins of the partially collapsed building, looking for two missing people. At least 37 injured people were taken to hospital and the condition of four of them is described as critical, according to the latest report released by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanen.

It was around 5 pm (local time, 6:00 pm Greek time) when a powerful explosion rocked St. Jacques Street, causing the building that houses the American Academy of Fashion to partially collapse and two others to go up in flames .

Thanks to the timely intervention of approximately 270 firefighters, the fire was brought under control an hour and a half after its occurrence.

Rahman Oliur describes the moment of the explosion that shattered the glass of his shop. “It was like a bomb attack,” said the 27-year-old, adding that he was lucky because he was not near the jamaria. He told how he saw a mother leave her house covered in blood, together with her two children.

A little further on, a bar has turned into a gathering point for residents looking for a place to spend the night. Firefighters and doctors comforted some elderly people who were forced to leave their homes.

Officially, French authorities state that the cause of the explosion remains under investigation, however there are many reports of a “strong smell of gas”.

“We heard a big explosion. We saw black smoke and debris everywhere (…) We thought lightning struck! There was a smell of gas on the street,” a local resident told Liberation newspaper.

“I was at home writing… I thought it was a bomb explosion,” said art historian Monique Moshe, noting that the shock wave shattered the windows of her home. “A neighbor knocked on the door and told me that the fire department asked us to evacuate the area as soon as possible. I took my laptop and cell phone. I didn’t even think about taking my medication,” she said.

In January 2019, four people were killed and 66 injured in an explosion caused by a gas leak in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.