“A big boom like a bomb exploding”: a 63-year-old woman dies following the explosion of a laundromat, the three-story building caught fire

A woman died this Monday evening following an explosion in a laundromat located on the ground floor of her building. The events took place on rue du Cordouan in the city center of La Rochelle around 6:50 p.m. The victim lived on the 3rd floor. She was in cardio-respiratory arrest when help arrived but she did not survive.

According to initial findings, the fire broke out in the laundry and the explosion was caused by the boiler, reports Sud-Ouest. A violent explosion was felt and “a big boom like a bomb exploding” heard according to a local resident who spoke to France 3. The laundromat had been closed for a long time, our colleagues specify.

The fire then spread throughout the building up to the roof. The other occupants were able to be evacuated from the scene in time. Significant relief resources have been mobilized.

Residents of neighboring buildings were evacuated for the night to prevent a risk of collapse. An investigation is open to determine the exact origin of the disaster.