November 09, 2007	Friday	Shawwal 27, 1428

PARIS, Nov 8: A fire on Thursday in an apartment building in the Indian district of Paris killed two women and a 10-year-old girl, police said. A witness said the three victims were of Indian origin, but police did not confirm the information. One of the dead women was pregnant.

Nine people suffered injuries in the blaze including a firefighter when the flames spread from a stairwall in the five-storey building.

Dozens of people were evacuated from the building located in the Brady pedestrian mall that is home to many Indian and Pakistani families along with Chinese and Vietnamese.

Some 150 firefighters managed to put out the blaze shortly after 5:00 am (0400 GMT).

Housing Minister Christine Boutin and Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe visited the scene of the blaze.

Boutin recalled that she was determined to take action against “indecent housing” and in particular target landlords who rent out rooms to immigrant workers.

Paris Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois said in a statement that he offered his “sympathies and prayers” to the victims.

Jean-Michel Beau, 45, who lives across from the ravaged building, said he heard screams coming from the apartment block. “I immediately called the fire department. People were escaping through rooftop windows,” said Beau.—AFP