Explosions shook the heart of Paris earlier today, followed by a van catching fire near the French prime minister’s offices. Witnesses stated that three blasts were heard near the Hotel de Matignon, the official residence of the Prime Minister of France.
The incident occurred as the current prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, was set to engage in meetings subsequent to his resignation. Local reports from the Parisian fire department confirmed that the fire was contained to the van and did not extend to adjacent structures.
Firefighters swiftly responded to the scene, with fire trucks rushing past journalists to extinguish the flames. Eyewitnesses recounted hearing the explosions before observing dense smoke emanating from the public works van. Social media posts depicted the aftermath of the explosion, showcasing the van belonging to a French public lighting company engulfed in smoke.
The burning van, located on Rue de Varenne, was in close proximity to Matignon where Sébastien Lecornu, Gabriel Attal, and Edouard Philippe were gathered. The incident unfolded as Sébastien Lecornu was preparing for meetings post his resignation earlier in the week. The vehicle was reportedly near the prime minister’s official office at the time of the fire.