Explosion rocks Paris, causing several buildings to burn: police tell people to avoid the area

Seven people are now in critical condition as firefighters in Paris fight a blaze in the Latin Quarter of the city center following an explosion earlier this afternoon.

The explosion shook Paris, setting several buildings on fire and sending flames and smoke into the air over the fifth arrondissement above the Pantheon monument.

At least 16 people have been injured – seven of them in critical condition – following the explosion earlier on Wednesday in Paris’ fifth arrondissement, police confirmed.

A Paris police official added that the facade of a building had fallen into the street as a result of the explosion and that many firefighters and members of the police were at the scene.

“This is chaos,” said Christopher Gaglione, who said he witnessed the scene with others standing in the immediate aftermath.

Smoke rises from a Place Alphonse-Laveran building in the 5th arrondissement of Paris

Gunfight rushes to the center of the explosion in Paris’ fifth arrondissement

Florence Berthout, mayor of the arrondissement, said those critical were in an “absolute emergency.”

“The explosion was extremely violent,” she said, describing pieces of glass that continued to fall from buildings.

The neighborhood was cordoned off and dozens of emergency responders filled the area.

Paris police spokeswoman Loubna Atta said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire and could not confirm reports that the fire was caused by a gas explosion.

Paris firefighters are currently battling the blaze that is sending smoke into the air as the streets below are littered with rubble.

Paris police said they were monitoring the incident as they also warned people to avoid the area.

Firefighters were battling the blaze in Paris’s Left Bank as smoke rose above the domed Pantheon monument and nearby buildings were evacuated, police said.

Local media cited witnesses who described a large explosion that preceded the fire and said part of a building collapsed.

Flames and smoke could be seen tumbling into the sky with images and footage of the scene showing buildings on fire.

Smoke billows from a Place Alphonse-Laveran building in the 5th arrondissement of Paris

The building was in ruins, the wreckage of a collapsed roof and outer wall lay in the street

Firefighters rushed to the scene as the area was engulfed in smoke

A giant plume of smoke tumbles into the sky after a gas explosion in Paris

Smoke rises into the sky and guilt falls from buildings after an explosion in Paris

Several social media clips showed blackened and destroyed buildings.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said a fire was raging on Rue Saint-Jacques in Paris’ fifth arrondissement, close to the Luxembourg Gardens and the Sorbonne University.

This is the latest news. More to follow…