Paris Hotel Fire Kills at Least 13 People

AP ^ | April 14, 2005

[ConservativeStatement]

PARIS - A fire roared through a central Paris hotel early Friday, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens more, fire officials said. Some people leapt from windows to escape the flames. The fire occurred in the capital's 9th district, an area frequented by tourists. At least 57 people were injured, including 12 seriously, said fire services spokesman Laurent Vibert.

Firefighters rescued people from the hotel in the Rue de Provence but others jumped out of windows to escape flames and choking smoke, Vibert said.

The fire took more than an hour to bring under control but was still smoldering hours later. Some 250 firefighters and 50 fire engines were on the scene.

[al baby]

Maybe it was Mrs o kerrys frog

[bd476]

Ping.

[BradyLS]

Yep. Bush's fault. Didn't you know the French outlawed hotel fires?

[ConservativeStatement]

Mama T. :-)

[Clemenza]

Glad to see it wasn't the Paris Hilton. I will be in the Paris Hilton in June (honest!).

[al baby]

on a lighter side John kerry is on cruchs

[Simmy2.5]

But will it be clean? ;-)

[ConservativeStatement]

Nothing like double entendres. :-)

[bd476]

BBC News World Edition

4-15-2005


The cause of the blaze is still unclear

Fatal blaze guts Parisian hotel

The cause of the blaze is still unclear

At least 13 people have died and about 50 people have been injured in a fire at a hotel in central Paris, a fire service spokesman said.

At least 10 of the wounded were in a serious condition after the blaze in the city's central 9th arrondissement.

The fire, which broke out at about 0200 (0000 GMT), gutted the six-storey Paris-Opera hotel.

Some of the guests leapt from windows to escape the flames, the AFP news agency reported.

Makeshift morgue

"The toll is provisional because we fear we might find more victims on the upper floors," fire service spokesman Laurent Vibert told the Reuters news agency.

"It was a serious fire. You don't often see such fires in Paris. There was only one staircase and the fire broke out on the lower floors. There was no explosion," he said.

Mr Vibert told the AFP news agency that 76 people had been living in the 32-room hotel on rue de Provence.

Witnesses said they were mostly families of African origin.

An emergency medical centre and a makeshift morgue were set up in the nearby Galeries Lafayette department store.

Dozens of fire trucks and 10 ambulances were at the scene. The flames were extinguished by 0330 (0130 GMT).

Interior minister Dominique de Villepin has visited the scene, his office said.

Fatal blaze guts Parisian hotel

[vaudine]

Po seeb' lee, but not of a surety, unless the French have changed since I was there.

Since it's the Hilton, maybe it will be clean. Have fun!

vaudine

[dead]

That's miserable. God bless them.

[elli1]

13 dead, 50 injured...out of a total of 76 residents? And the count is 'provisional'??

[Lijahsbubbe]

Some 250 firefighters and 50 fire engines were on the scene.

I am thankful for another day. G-d comfort the families of those who have died and have been injured.

[bd476]

Prayers for the survivors, and the families and friends of those who perished. I've not heard of many large fires in Paris.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Prayers for the victims and their families.

[bd476]

Ping.

[justanotherguyisalreadytaken?]

Just In Case: sarcasm

[OneTimeLurker]

"13 suffocated or burned to death? As long as it serves as a source of amusement for our anti-France faction, it's worth it."

Good Christians they are. I am sure Jesus would be cracking jokes too.