Three killed as flats collapse

A GAS blast is being blamed for the collapse of a block of flats in Reims that killed three people and left 14 in hospital.

The blast, under one end of a block of HLM council flats, saw the entire end of the building collapse “like a house of cards” as one resident told reporters.

Marne sub-prefect Michel Bernard said that they had identified all the residents of the block and no one else was reported missing. The body of a 60-year-old woman was found in the debris and they were looking to confirm the identities of the two other victims.

The building is owned and managed by social housing group Foyer Rémois, which has 18,000 homes in Champagne-Ardenne – including one which collapsed on April 3 at Witry-les-Reims, killing four people from one family.

Residents called for an investigation into the safety of the Reims buildings, which were built in 1958, and Housing Minister Cécile Duflot said that a thorough enquiry would be held.