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Two firefighters have been killed after a huge explosion at a bakery in the French capital, Paris, officials say.
The emergency services were responding to a gas leak when "a dramatic explosion" occurred, said Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.
Forty-seven people were injured, 10 seriously, in the blast on Rue de Trévise in the 9th Arrondissement at around 09:00 (08:00 GMT).
New anti-government protests are being held in Paris and other French cities.
Some 80,000 police officers were due to be on duty on Saturday as "yellow vest" demonstrators keep up their pressure protest, even though the Paris explosion is not thought to be connected with the demonstrations.
In the immediate aftermath, smashed cars and debris from other shop fronts littered the street in front of the burning bakery as people stood around, looking stunned by the force of the explosion.
The death toll of two was confirmed minutes after the interior minister had said that four people - including two civilians - had died.
The Hubert bakery at No 6 Rue de Trévise was not due to be open at the time of the blast, Le Parisien newspaper reports.
A gas leak had been reported in the building and firefighters had been on their way to deal with it when the explosion occurred.
The emergency services were responding to a gas leak when "a dramatic explosion" occurred, said Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.
Forty-seven people were injured, 10 seriously, in the blast on Rue de Trévise in the 9th Arrondissement at around 09:00 (08:00 GMT).
New anti-government protests are being held in Paris and other French cities.
Some 80,000 police officers were due to be on duty on Saturday as "yellow vest" demonstrators keep up their pressure protest, even though the Paris explosion is not thought to be connected with the demonstrations.
In the immediate aftermath, smashed cars and debris from other shop fronts littered the street in front of the burning bakery as people stood around, looking stunned by the force of the explosion.
The death toll of two was confirmed minutes after the interior minister had said that four people - including two civilians - had died.
The Hubert bakery at No 6 Rue de Trévise was not due to be open at the time of the blast, Le Parisien newspaper reports.
A gas leak had been reported in the building and firefighters had been on their way to deal with it when the explosion occurred.
