Early morning on Monday, rescuers in Marseille resumed their search for three missing individuals after an explosion destroyed a portion of an old building in the historic coastal city of France. After hours of laborious work, the confirmed death toll has unfortunately risen to five, with two bodies being discovered the night before and three more pulled out of the rubble.
More than a hundred fireworkers have been involved in search and rescue operations and a crane is even being used with utmost care to lift congealed layers of concrete. In light of the tragedy, the mayor of Marseille, Benoit Payan, mourned the victims as well as their families, and assured the public that continuous search and rescue efforts will persist without taking a break until results are achieved.
An investigation has been opened up to lay out the cause of the incident, with a gas explosion being looked into as a possible perpetrator for the destruction. The building had collapsed around 1 AM Sunday in a location less than half a mile from the ancient old port of Marseille, making it difficult for inhabitants of 200 nearby apartments to find safety.
The calamitous event serves as a heartbreaking motif of how precarious life is, as well as how crucial it is to sustain and keep buildings and environmental facilities safe and protocolized. In 2018, two other buildings in the centerfold of Marseille, whose maintenance was lacking, had tragically fell down and caused the end of eight lives.
Nevertheless, the authorities did not forego hope regarding the situation. Minister of Cities and Housing Olivier Klein reiterated that there is still a chance of coming across survivors amid the wreckage. The judicial branch will come forward to identify and manage the dead bodies.