A serious incident occurred in a residential building in the central Marais district of Paris during a private birthday party. While guests were celebrating a 60th birthday, the floor on the ground level of the multi-story building suddenly gave way. Reports indicate that the accident happened on Saturday evening around 8:30 PM.
The approximately 50 guests present fell about two meters deep into the basement below. According to initial findings from the rescue services, at least 20 people were injured. Three of the victims suffered serious injuries, with two of them reportedly sustaining life-threatening harm. The seriously injured were immediately transported to nearby hospitals.
The fire department responded with a large contingent of about 80 emergency personnel, along with specialized search dogs, to ensure that no other people were trapped under the debris. The affected building was evacuated for safety reasons and declared temporarily uninhabitable. Structural engineers are now examining the 'Bausubstanz' (building substance) to determine the cause of the sudden collapse. The police have launched investigations to check for possible construction defects or an overload of the floor structure.
