A suspected gas explosion damaged buildings and caused a fire in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France, on June 21, injuring several people, according to CBS News.

Due to the explosion at a private school, national authorities have urged the public to avoid the Latin Quarter on the left bank of the Seine. according to to CBS. The explosion injured 29 people, seven of whom are now in critical condition. according to to the New York Post. (Related article: 2 homes exploded in Philadelphia, 5 injured, 1 seriously injured)

Firefighters did not initially confirm a gas leak was the cause of the explosion, but many witnesses said they smelled gas before it exploded.

“I was sitting by the window, but a small blast carried me two meters away from the window.” [from the explosion] I was terrified,” a student who was near the school when the explosion occurred told local media, the New York Post reported.

🔴Gas #explosion The result was a fire that affected several buildings, said the mayor of Paris’s 5th arrondissement.

👮 Police added that the facade of the building had fallen onto the road and urged people to avoid the area.

@abdelmassivet tells us what he knows so far 👇 pic.twitter.com/sOEaGlN1b6

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) June 21, 2023

“We came down [from the building] And I saw flames,” the student added. “The police gave us a lot of support, so we evacuated immediately.”

According to the New York Post, the explosion occurred at the Paris American Academy, a school that prepares students for potential careers in the arts.

Investigators are investigating whether a violation of safety rules may have caused the explosion.