Explosion at Paris factory kills one, injures 12

One man was killed and 12 others injured in an explosion triggered by a fire at a factory north-west of Paris early on Wednesday morning. The blaze is believed to have started accidentally but it remains too early to say for sure, according to France's Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux, who visited the scene.

Reuters

The fire broke out at 3.30am local time in one of the ovens at the high-temperature electrical component factory in the Parisian suburb of Gennevilliers.

It was followed by an explosion an hour later as employees were evacuated from the scene and fire fighters tackled the flames.

The man killed was a security guard at the site, while most of those injured were fire fighters and police officers. At least three of those injured are in a critical state.

Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux visited the site on Wednesday morning, accompanied by the Minister Industry Christian Estrosi.

The fire is currently under control, Hortefeux told reporters, "but with very heavy consequences".

Authorities do not believe the fire was suspicious, but have opened an investigation to determine what caused the incident and whether any safety procedures were breached.

The factory is owned by French manufacturing company Carbone Lorraine.