The collapse of a four-storey residential building in Marseille on Sunday has left at least five people from surrounding structures dead.
A fire was preventing rescue workers in their search for victims. Authorities are finding ways to rescue entrapped victims before it escalates.
The collapse of the building in the port city in southern France occurred around 12:40 am (2240 GMT), Marseille mayor Benoit Payan told reporters. One neighbouring building collapsed later on Sunday morning.
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Five people have been confirmed injured from two residences next to the collapsed building in the central La Plaine district, Payan said, but the fire in the rubble was “ongoing”.
The fire is “extremely difficult to control […] The firefighters are judging minute by minute how best to put out this fire because there are potentially people alive inside,” Payan said. “We have to be prepared to have victims in this tragedy.”
The streets around the collapsed building were cordoned off and choked with dust. Firefighters could be seen attempting to work their way through the building debris.
Marseille firefighters are doing all they could to salvage the situation. We are trying to speed up the (search and rescue operations) because time is of the essence,” but the search dogs cannot keep up in the heat, said the commander of the Marseille marine firefighters, Lionel Mathieu.
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