In the northern French city of Amiens, an abandoned hotel came crashing down on Friday, sparking a significant emergency response and forcing the evacuation of nearby buildings.
Authorities suspect that a gas explosion might have set off this dramatic incident.
The hotel, which had been closed since 2020, unexpectedly collapsed in the city center around noon, as reported by DPA. Firefighters, along with search dogs, spent several hours sifting through the debris. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported, and officials believe the hotel was unoccupied at the time.
Amiens Mayor Hubert de Jenlis shared in an interview with France 3 that surveillance footage showed no pedestrians on the sidewalk in front of the hotel when it fell. The video captured the entire structure crumbling, sending heaps of debris tumbling onto the street. Police quickly established a wide perimeter and evacuated dozens of residents from nearby homes.
The investigation into the suspected gas explosion is still ongoing.
France has experienced several similar incidents in recent years involving older buildings in urban areas. Just two years ago, a massive explosion and collapse in central Paris resulted in two fatalities, with a gas leak identified as the probable cause. That same year, in Marseille, two adjacent buildings collapsed, claiming the lives of eight people. In late 2022, a man lost his life in Lille when a building in the city center fell.
