Two People Missing After Blast Destroys U.S. Fashion School in Paris
PARIS — Two people are reported missing after an explosion in Paris on Wednesday destroyed a building that was home to the Paris American Academy school, French officials said.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said 37 people were injured, four of them seriously, in the blast, the cause of which has yet to be determined. Firefighters will work through the night to search for potential victims, he said.
More from WWD
“We are not certain that these people are missing,” said Darmanin. “It is therefore possible that we will find bodies or people who are still alive tonight.”
The explosion occurred just before 5 p.m. local time at 277 Rue Saint-Jacques, according to Paris police chief Laurent Nunez. The fire is under control, he added. The blast happened during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, but it was not known if there were any casualties among attendees.
Photographs of the scene showed the 17th-century, historically classified building has been completely destroyed. The explosion was so powerful that it blew out the windows of neighboring apartments and set cars ablaze, Darmanin said.
Up to 325 firefighters headed to the scene, while 200 police officers helped to evacuate dozens of residents, he added. The Paris public prosecutor’s office has ordered an inquiry, the minister reported.
The Paris American Academy was founded by U.S. musician Richard Roy in 1965 and offers courses in fashion, interior design, fine arts and creative writing to international students, according to the school’s web site. American model Dorian Leigh Parker helped establish the fashion department, PAA president Peter Carman stated on the site.
The six-level Pavillon du Val de Grâce, where most classes are held, was recently renovated, according to the school. Darmanin said there were no reported issues with the building.
“Contrary to what has been reported in some quarters, to our knowledge, there was no alert in the run-up to this explosion,” he said. Witnesses reported a strong smell of gas in the area, according to local media reports.
Kent State University said Wednesday that all nine of its students who were in Paris were safe and accounted for, according to Eric Mansfield, the university’s vice president of communications and marketing.
He referenced a statement that noted: “An explosion happened in a building in Paris that housed the Paris American Academy, where nine Kent State students, plus faculty and staff are located.” Mansfield deferred any further comment until Thursday.
With contributions from Rosemary Feitelberg
Best of WWD
