Two children aged three and five have died following a gas explosion in an apartment building in Trévoux, eastern France. The blast occurred on Monday at around 5:30pm local time, injuring at least 13 people, with two others feared trapped under rubble.
Emergency services rescued at least 30 people from the four-storey block. Fifty firefighters and 36 vehicles, along with medical personnel, were mobilised. The explosion was heard up to five kilometres away, causing material damage to two nearby schools, though no injuries were reported there.
The siblings who died were the children of a town hall employee who worked as a catering assistant at a school 100 metres from the building. Resuscitation attempts by emergency services were unsuccessful.
Trévoux mayor Marc Péchoux confirmed the explosion was caused by gas, with investigators working to determine the exact circumstances. Ain prefect Chantal Mauchet said an accidental cause is most likely. The search for people under rubble was called off after dogs detected nothing.
The 40-year-old building was well-maintained, having undergone major maintenance two years ago. At least 70 residents have been rehoused, along with inhabitants of 20 nearby houses, pending fire inspections.
