Explosion Rocks Central Paris, France [Photo]

An explosion rocked central Paris, the French capital on Wednesday with at least 16 people sustaining injuries, seven of them severe.

Naija News understands that the explosion which happened in Rue Saint-Jacques caused one building’s facade to collapse, while several others caught fire.

According to France 24, witnesses described hearing a large explosion preceding the fire in the area famed for its high student population.

Paris explosion

Speaking on the blast, Paris police chief, Laurent Ninez stated that the explosion occurred inside a building that includes the Paris American Academy, a bilingual school of fashion and design.

The road leads from the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral to the Sorbonne University and the Val-de-Grâce military hospital and is a few blocks from the popular Jardin du Luxembourg.

The area is usually packed with tourists and foreign students in the early summer.

The police spokesperson, Loubna Atta, said it was too early to determine the source of the fire and could not confirm reports that it was caused by a gas explosion.

Naija News understands that the explosion is happening on a day Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with his strategic team ahead of the New Global Financial Pact Summit in Paris, France.

The meeting was held to discuss what Nigeria stands to benefit from the two-day global Summit.

The New Global Financial Pact Summit is slated for June 22nd and 23rd in Paris, France.

Tinubu at the summit, will join other world leaders to review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on the priority list for support and investment, following the devastating impact of climate change, energy crisis, and after effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.