Paris: At least 10 people, including five children, were killed after a fire broke out Friday morning at an eight-story apartment building in a suburb of the French city of Lyon.
Four people are in critical condition, and another ten, including two firefighters, suffered minor injuries from the blaze in the town of Vaulx-en-Velin, the regional authority of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes said in a statement, as reported by CNN.
“According to preliminary data, 10 people were killed (including 5 children), 4 of the victims are in critical condition and another 10 people sustained light injuries,” the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region ‘s prefecture said on Twitter.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the children who were killed ranged from ages 3 to 15. The fire has since been put out.
“It’s obviously a shock, the death toll is extremely serious,” Darmanin told journalists.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne called the incident “tragic” and extended her support to the victims and their families.
The incident occurred at 03:12 am local time (02:12 GMT). Up to 170 firefighters and 65 vehicles were dispatched to the scene. The fire was reportedly extinguished.
The cause of the fire is yet to be established.
