Arson suspected in fire that leaves 7 dead in France |

Seven people were killed in a fire in an apartment building in the southern French city of Nice early Thursday morning. Police are investigating the fire as possible arson, authorities said.

Among the dead were three children aged five, seven and ten, as well as a 17-year-old teenager who tried to escape by jumping out of the window, it was said.

The apartment was inhabited by a family that probably had Comorian roots, said regional prefect Hugues Moutouh, referring to the South African island state.

When the fire broke out, ten people were in the building.

Emergency services were alerted at around 2:30 a.m. (00:30 GMT) to the fire on the seventh floor of the building in the slum of Les Moulins in the west of the city, which is known as a center of drug trafficking.

Despite the considerable effort, “unfortunately seven people lost their lives in this fire,” the fire department said.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on social media that the rapid arrival of firefighters “probably prevented further deaths.”

Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli said investigators were looking into whether the fire was “criminally” motivated.

“Based on the initial evidence, I have launched an investigation into arson resulting in death,” he told reporters at the scene.

The fire probably broke out on the second floor of the building and spread to the upper floors, authorities said.

Rescue workers said three people were taken to hospital, one with life-threatening injuries.

They said firefighters were confronted with a “raging apartment fire” on the seventh floor of the building. They conducted three rescues using aerial ladders and evacuated dozens.

A total of 25 fire engines and 72 firefighters were involved in fighting the fire.

Twenty people were evacuated to an emergency shelter. Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi said a crisis unit would help all those affected by the fire.

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