More than 100 injured and hundreds more evacuated as wildfire rages near French city of Marseille
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said around 800 firefighters were at the scene and would work 'all night' to contain the blaze. He said that if the wind weakens as forecast overnight, it would 'allow us to determine the situation in the coming hours.'
No deaths have been reported by late Tuesday evening, according to the French minister.
Marseille's mayor Benoît Payan said emergency services were 'waging guerrilla warfare, hoses in hand.' The fire spread at a rate of 1.2km per minute at its peak, he added.
French media report that at least 400 people have been evacuated from their homes. This includes 71 residents of a nursing home in Pennes-Mirabeau.
Nine firefighters have been injured. Residents have been warned to stay indoors and not evacuate unless they were instructed to, so the roads would be clear for emergency vehicles.
Authorities also urged people to keep windows closed to prevent toxic smoke from entering their homes.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for the firefighters in the region, condolences for the injured and urged caution and adherence to safety instructions.
The local fire service said 168 firefighters were deployed along with fire engines and helicopters. The fire reportedly broke out near the town of Les Pennes Mirabeau.
Flights to and from Marseille were suspended on Tuesday and traffic at the city's main station was disrupted due to the wildfire. Sections of two major motorways were also closed to traffic.
As a safety measure, the city's Hospital Nord switched to generators 'due to micro power cuts.'
Several weeks of heat waves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out over the past couple of days. — Euronews
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