Fire and detonation of gas cylinders: what is known about the explosions at the University of Lyon

On the morning of January 17, a fire broke out at the University of Lyon-1 named after Claude Bernard in the French city of Lyon, followed by a series of explosions. Three people, including one fireman, received light injuries.

Officially about the fire in the building, designated as "Mendel's building", told Twitter educational institution. Subsequently, university representatives published updates on the current situation.

🇫🇷 [VILLEURBANNE] Incroyable vu déo du moment de l'explosion sur le campus #Doua, bâtiment Mendes, de l'Université Lyon 1, ce matin vers 9h00. L'incendie est quasiment maîtrisé. Au moins unblessé, plusieurs bâtiments évacués, dont la BU. # explosionpic.twitter.com / xTQhMry1tn

As noted by BFM TV, the preliminary causes of the incident are related to the construction works on sealing, which were carried out in one of the buildings of the university. According to available information, after a fire, three gas cylinders exploded, which were stored on the roof of a building engulfed in fire.

According to Le Figaro, a biological laboratory is located on the first floor of the building engulfed in fire, which was the reason to fear chemical contamination of the campus. However, this probability was later excluded by representatives of the educational institution.

“There is no such risk, because the fire did not occur in the laboratory,” the message says. The university clarified that at the time of the fire there were students in the building.

“This morning, a fire broke out in the building, the students were inside, but they were all evacuated,” they said in Lyon-1. It is noted that in addition to the ignited corps, people were also taken out of the university library located opposite. Total evacuation affected only 800 people.

The university later clarified that the situation is under control, but operational measures to remedy the situation can be lengthy and take the rest of the day.

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“The situation was quickly brought under control thanks to the instant response of the firefighters, the police and the campus’s own security service, we thank them for their speed and efficiency,” the university’s page on the post-fire situation says.

While on campus, a closed perimeter is organized around the fire-lit building and another building located nearby. Both of these buildings are closed until the publication of a separate order of the university management on this account. Two audiences are open for students.

Bang in Paris bakery

On the morning of January 12, another major gas leak occurred in France. In the center of Paris a powerful explosion thundered, as a result of which four people were killed, another 37 were injured.

About the first two victims it became known almost immediately after the incident, then the victim of the explosion died. Later, rescuers discovered another body under the rubble.

As stated by the police, the incident occurred in a bakery at number 6 on Treviz Street. For a long time after the explosion, firefighters could not eliminate the fire - smoke was coming from the basement of the building for at least 1.5 hours after the explosion.

For the transportation of the wounded, several civilian security helicopters were involved, which landed on the square near the Opera Garnier building in the ninth arrondissement of Paris.

According to local residents, the explosion was so strong that in windows located in this building and nearby, windows and windows were knocked out. Damage got parked nearby cars.

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“I was sleeping and I was awakened by a blast wave. All the windows in the apartment broke, all the open doors went off the hinges. To get out of the room, I had to walk right through the door. The children panicked, they could not get out of their room, ”said Claire Sallavuar, living at Trevis Street, 6.

“I live in an apartment, and there is a theater in our house - so, it smashed windows in it. Other residents also knocked out the windows in the rooms. Some cars turned upside down. Just terrible, ”said one of the residents of the ninth district.

Pauline Verona, Deputy Mayor of Paris for democracy, youth and citizen participation in public life, spoke about the consequences of the explosion.

“The explosion on Treviz Street turned into serious damage, many injured. At the scene of the tragedy, of course, a lot of emotions. The mayor of Paris organizes, together with the administration of the ninth district in its building, the reception of citizens. Residents can come to the administration of the ninth district, "- said in her message on Twitter.