Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Rescuers found body in rubble of Paris building that collapsed in explosion

Share
PARIS -

French emergency workers found a body Tuesday in the rubble of a Paris building whose facade collapsed in an explosion last week and are working to remove the remains and identify the person, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

The discovery marks the first fatality in the blast, which left six people critically injured and more than 50 people with lighter injuries or psychological shock, according to the Paris prosecutor.

Authorities had been digging through debris for days to try to locate a person reported missing since the explosion June 21. The search was complicated by the risk that a neighbouring building could also collapse.

The identity of the person whose body was found Tuesday was not yet clear, according to the prosecutor’s office.

After the discovery, the preliminary investigation opened into the case was expanded to include potential manslaughter charges, the prosecutor's office said. Prosecutors are looking into whether the explosion was caused by intentional violation of safety rules. A possible gas leak was one of the theories under investigation.

The French capital’s historic — and sometimes ageing — infrastructure has seen occasional gas explosions in the past. Last week's explosion near the historic Val de Grace military hospital in the city's 5th district crumpled the facade of a building that held a private academy of design and arts.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.