Second person dies after Paris explosion

A second person has died as a result of an explosion in central Paris in late June, succumbing to her injuries in hospital.

Published: 7 July 2023 21:03 CEST

Second person dies after Paris explosion

The destruction and rubble in the immediate aftermath of an explosion in a building on Rue Saint-Jacques in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. (Photo by Gregory Custo / AFP)

The explosion at the Paris American Academy – a private college popular with exchange students from the US – on June 21st injured almost 50 people.

Now one of those, a woman who had been passing in front of the building, succumbed to her injuries in hospital on Thursday, a source close to the investigation confirmed to AFP.

She becomes the second fatality of the blast, after the body of a woman was dug out of the rubble of the building several days after the explosion – believed to be Anne B, a 57-year-old teacher at the school.

In total 50 people were injured in the blast, which also sparked fires in neighbouring buildings. Two other people remain in hospital in a critical condition.

An investigation into the blast has been opened by the Paris public prosecutor’s office – the cause is not yet officially determined but is believed to have been a gas leak.

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Once a preferred spot for gala premieres, the UGC Normandie was one of several grand cinemas on the Champs-Elysées that made the area a hub for film buffs in the 1960s and 70s.

But the street long ago lost its cool among Parisians, becoming increasingly dominated by flagship fashion stores and tourists taking snaps of the Arc de Triomphe.

The UGC cinema chain said it faced a “very sharp increase in rent” at the location, which is owned by the Qatari royal family.

Two other famed cinemas on the boulevard, the George V and Gaumont Marignan, have closed since 2020.

“The cinema is disappearing in somewhat terrible circumstances for the whole culture,” said a former employee, 22-year-old Yann Raffin, adding that he feels both “sadness” and “anger”.

“This avenue is transforming into an avenue reserved for the ultra-rich,” he told AFP.

The last screening on Wednesday night was “La La Land” with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, a fitting tribute to Hollywood musicals of a bygone era.

Its director, Damien Chazelle, appeared on screen with a special message for the sold-out crowd.

“This room was an extension of my own life, it was a friend and an ally,” said Mehdi Omais, 40, a film journalist, visibly moved.

“It’s heartbreaking to see it close and to see this avenue becoming a cemetery of cinemas.”

An auction of the chairs and decor was due on Thursday, including the huge letters on the outside, with proceeds going to a charity that organises screenings for hospitalised children.

Paris remains a film-going hotspot and still has more cinemas per head than anywhere in the world, with swanky new theatres opening elsewhere in the city.

They include a state-of-the-art Pathe cinema near the Opera Garnier, designed by architect Renzo Piano who created the Pompidou Centre and The Shard in London.