Ten people including a baby died in western Paris on Tuesday morning when a huge fire ripped through an apartment block in a suspected “criminal” act.

One woman has been placed in custody as part of the investigation with the authorities favouring a “criminal” cause for the blaze, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said.

Thirty-seven people, including six firefighters, were injured. One of the wounded has been described as an “absolute emergency” by the city’s fire brigade revealed, meaning the injury is life-threatening.

A fire service spokesperson told the AFP news agency that the death toll could rise as authorities inspect the site.

“Extreme conditions”

The fire started shortly before 01:00 on the upper floors of an eight-storey building on rue Erlanger, in the city’s 16th arrondissement.

Some 250 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze. In a statement, the fire brigade described the fire as “extremely violent” and said it safely evacuated more than 50 residents despite “extreme conditions.”

Residents, who crowded by their windows for help, were rescued with hand and hook ladders.

#Intervention Feu d’immeuble Paris 16 : 50 sauvetages, 8 personnes décédées, 1 urgence absolue, et 36 urgences relatives.
? https://t.co/bYQcBjmp37 pic.twitter.com/B4neIxO9Vx

— Pompiers de Paris (@PompiersParis) February 5, 2019

The fire was eventually contained at about 08:00.

“Save these people”

Paris-based social media user Laetitia Chevallier said she could see people who had fled to the roof in order to escape the flames.

“Save these people,” she tweeted to the Paris fire brigade.

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