A criminal investigation into the deadliest fire in Paris in a decade was opened on Wednesday after it emerged that two separate incidents occurred in the same building two hours apart.
A blaze in an apartment building in
northern Paris overnight killed eight people, including two children, police and fire department officials confirmed, while four others were in critical condition.
A suspect was taken into police custody Wednesday afternoon, a source close to the investigation has said.
The fire in a working-class neighbourhood in the 18th district of the French capital took more than 100 fire fighters to put out.
“We had already been called to the same address at 2:23 am, but for a completely different kind of incident,” Paris fire brigade spokesman Gabriel Plus told FRANCE 24.
“[Fire fighters] put out some papers that were on fire in the building’s entrance. It was a very limited incident... very easy to put out, no injuries. The fire fighters closed the door behind them and left the scene. It’s very common,” he added in reference to the first fire reported in the building on the largely residential Rue Myrha.
“What was unusual was being called to the same address just a few hours later for something completely different. The call came in at 4:33am and we arrived on the scene five minutes later,” the spokesman added.
Earlier, the interior ministry said it would investigate if the inferno was “a malicious act”.
POLICE ESTABLISH SECURITY PERIMETER AFTER DEADLY PARIS FIRE

© Stephanie Trouillard, FRANCE 24
Spokesman Gabriel Plus said fire fighters had struggled to reach the top floors of the building, encountering dangerous flames in the stairwell, where they found the bodies of several victims.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said around 15 buildings in the area had been affected by the fire.
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