Body found in rubble six days after a massive blast that destroyed a 17th-century building in France

Six days following a powerful explosion that destroyed a 17th-century building in France and injured 58 people, a body was discovered in the debris on Tuesday. According to an AFP report, emergency services searching for a missing woman found the body.

The missing person was a teacher at the Paris American Academy fashion school, located on the Left Bank, a popular tourist area in the city. French media reported that she had been teaching at the academy for two decades and was on the building’s third floor when the blast occurred.

In addition to the woman, Peter Carman, the head of the academy, was seriously injured in the incident. Carman reportedly rushed to cut off the power supply after a gas odor permeated the building.

The search of the destroyed building was temporarily suspended over the weekend while efforts were made to stabilize a neighboring building that was on the verge of collapse.

The incident took place on Rue Saint-Jacques in the fifth arrondissement, near Jardin Du Luxembourg and Sorbonne University, shortly before 5:00 pm on June 21, as stated by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

Eyewitnesses described hearing an incredibly loud explosion and feeling its impact. A local pharmacist who witnessed the accident said, “We thought this isn’t a storm, this is serious. We heard the fire services. I went out to see if I could help. But it’s all shut off.”

French media cited nearby residents who reported a loud explosion before the fire broke out. Meanwhile, French prosecutors stated that the cause of the fire is still unknown, and they are investigating whether safety regulations were disregarded.

Notably, this is not the first occurrence of a building collapsing after an explosion in France. In April of this year, a similar incident took place in the port city of Marseille when a five-floor building in the city center collapsed during the early morning hours.

Witnesses have mentioned a suspicious smell of gas preceding the explosion. This incident once again drew attention to the city’s housing standards, with substandard structures housing thousands of people while many building codes remain violated.