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A three-year-old Bangladeshi child was killed and seven others were injured, two critically, after a gas explosion caused a residential building to partially collapse in Aubervilliers, a northern suburb of Paris.
The explosion occurred at around 9:30pm local time on Saturday at a residential property on Rue Paul-Verlaine in the Seine-Saint-Denis department.
The blast caused part of the building to collapse, trapping people beneath the rubble.
About 110 firefighters, along with police and specialised rescue teams, took part in the search and rescue operation.
The Bangladeshi victim, identified as Nahil, was seriously injured in the blast and later died while receiving treatment at a hospital. He was reportedly the son of Russell, a Bangladeshi from Katkhhal village in Baniachong upazila of Habiganj.
French media initially identified the deceased only as a two-year-old child.
Local authorities later confirmed that one child had died and seven people were injured, including two who remained in critical condition.
A preliminary assessment suggests that a gas leak may have triggered the explosion, although the exact cause has not yet been established.
Authorities have launched a judicial investigation into the incident. The affected families have been provided with temporary accommodation by the local administration.