One dead, several injured in fire by Paris hospital

A woman died and several people were injured after a huge fire broke out inside a renowned hospital complex on the outskirts of Paris, French officials said Thursday.

The blaze erupted late Wednesday inside a flat of a residential block by the Henri-Mondor hospital in the southeastern suburb of Creteil, said Guillaume Fresse, the Paris fire department spokesman.

The flames rapidly spread to the rest of the 10-storey building which houses some of the hospital staff, engulfing the facade and a staircase, he added.

However, the blaze did not affect the hospital itself, which shot to international fame after carrying out the world's first full face transplant in 2010.

Around 100 firefighters battled the blaze for more than two hours and saved 10 people trapped inside the building before extinguishing the flames around 1:30 am (2330 GMT).

One woman was killed and several people were injured including two firefighters who sustained serious injuries during the "complex operation", Fresse said.

In total, some 50 people were evacuated from the block.

Last June, three people died and 27 were injured in a fire at an apartment block in central Paris.

In February, a woman suffering from psychiatric problems started a fire in Paris's wealthy 16th district. Ten people died and 96 suffered injuries in the deadliest blaze to hit the French capital in almost 14 years.

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