Blaze kills seven people including two children after ‘massive explosion’ in French town

A fire killed seven people, including two children, following a “massive explosion” in a town in the south of France.

Police today launched an arson investigation after the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning in the historic Mediterranean coastal town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque, near Perpignan.

The explosion was heard around 1:30 a.m. on the ground floor of a building and started a fire that spread to neighboring properties.

Mr Cavaillé also said an unidentified 27-year-old man was seen jumping out of a window in the building and was seriously injured (pictured, rescue teams reach the upper windows of the building) the building with the aim of locating the missing residents)

The explosion was heard around 1.30am on the ground floor of a building (pictured) and started a fire which spread to neighboring properties

The seriousness of the incident led French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin (pictured) to visit Saint-Laurent de la Salaque, where he gave his “full support” to the emergency services.

Local prosecutor Jean-David Cavaillé reported seven confirmed dead early Monday afternoon, including children, without any of the victims having been identified to date.

“A preliminary investigation for arson causing death has been opened,” said Mr Cavaillé, who said the initial explosion would have occurred in a sandwich shop on the ground floor.

Mr Cavaillé also said an unidentified 27-year-old man was seen jumping out of a window in the building and was seriously injured.

Other injured were being treated Monday at Perpignan hospital, said Mr. Cavaillé.

He added that teams of firefighters and gendarmes had cordoned off the scene and were looking for other survivors.

Police today launched an arson investigation after the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning in the historic Mediterranean coastal town as rescue teams continued to search for missing residents ( Photo)

Local prosecutor Jean-David Cavaillé said teams of firefighters and gendarmes had cordoned off the scene and were looking for other survivors

The explosion was heard around 1.30am on the ground floor of a building and caused a fire which spread to neighboring properties (pictured, burnt buildings in the street in Saint Laurent de la Salaque)

The seriousness of the incident led the French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, to go to Saint-Laurent.

Mr Darmanin said in a statement on Twitter that he was sending his “thoughts to the victims and their loved ones” as he gave his “full support” to the rescue and emergency services.

French politician Olivier Dussopt said: “Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. The state is on their side.

A local police spokesman said: ‘In addition to the store, around 11 apartments were affected by the blast and several floors collapsed.

“Gas cylinders were found near the building where the explosion occurred, and it needs to be established whether they were used to trigger the explosion.”

The spokesperson said that a psychological help cell had been set up to support relatives and neighbors evacuated in the middle of the night.

“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families,” the spokesperson said. “We will mobilize to help them as best we can in these most tragic of circumstances.”

Local prosecutor Jean-David Cavaillé reported seven confirmed dead early Monday afternoon, including children, with none of the victims identified so far (pictured, rescue teams search the rubble looking for missing residents)

The spokesman said a psychological aid unit had been set up to support relatives and neighbors evacuated in the middle of the night (pictured, firefighters and rescue teams on site)