Large fire breaks out in central Paris following suspected gas explosion

Seven people have been “critically injured” in a large fire that broke out in a building in Paris on Wednesday, following a suspected gas explosion, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported.

Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to the scene, it said.

In a tweet posted shortly after 5 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET), police in Paris asked people to avoid the area near Rue Saint Jacques, in the city’s 5th arrondissement.