Four in critical condition after blast destroys house near Paris PHOTO

A residential house was completely destroyed by a powerful explosion in the morning of December 23 on Paul Cézanne Street in Magny-les-Hameaux, France, leaving four people seriously injured.

According to the prefecture, a 39-year-old woman and her three children, aged 2, 4, and 5, who lived in the house, were placed in a state of “absolute emergency” and transported to separate hospitals in Paris, Le Parisien reports.

Nearly 70 firefighters were deployed to the scene, where a security perimeter was immediately established. As a precautionary measure, gas supplies were shut off throughout the town, and electricity was cut in homes closest to the blast site.

The explosion was of such intensity that several nearby vehicles were damaged, with debris projected up to 100 metres away. The incident occurred on the eve of Christmas, and the circumstances surrounding the blast remain unclear. An investigation has been launched to determine its cause.

The house, which comprised two separate apartments, was entirely destroyed. One apartment was unoccupied at the time of the explosion, while the other housed the victims. Moments after the blast, a municipal employee, assisted by local residents, rushed into the rubble and managed to rescue one of the children who had been trapped.

Mayor Bertrand Houillon praised what he described as “an impressive act of courage” and reassured residents that all victims had been taken care of. He urged the public to avoid the area to allow emergency services and law enforcement to carry out their work safely.

The mayor also announced that a medical and psychological support unit had been set up by the municipality at the Blaise Pascal community centre, particularly for seven individuals who attempted to provide assistance to the victims.

Among them was Martial, a close neighbor who took in the three children moments after the explosion. “I heard a huge blast and immediately knew it was gas—I recognized the sound,” he said. “I brought the three burned children into my home. The oldest kept asking for his mother and wondering where they would live now.”

Other residents quickly reported hearing the “big boom,” which startled many in the neighborhood. “I heard what sounded like an explosion and saw sparks behind Vincent Van Gogh Street. I’m still shaken,” said another resident, Victoria.

In the hours following the tragedy, numerous messages of solidarity were sent to local officials. Mayor Houillon said municipal teams, working closely with prefectural services, were assessing the needs of those affected and would relay them to solidarity organizations already mobilized.

For the time being, support for all victims is being provided by the housing authority and the municipality in coordination with prefectural services, within the framework of a crisis unit established at the town hall.

By Vafa Guliyeva