Paris (People's Daily) -- Four people were killed in an accidental explosion that occurred Saturday morning in the ninth arrondissement of the French capital of Paris, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said.

Two of the four victims are firefighters, Castaner said.

The explosion was "obviously accidental", and it would be a "gas leak", confirmed Remy Heitz, the prosecutor of Paris.

(Video source: twitter)

A fire broke out after the blast at around 9am (0800 GMT) in the busy 9th district of the city. Around 200 firefighters were mobilized to battle the fire and evacuate victims and residents in the area, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said.

Around 100 police officers blocked off several streets in the area, home to restaurants and tourist attractions including the Musee Grevin wax museum and the popular Rue des Martyrs.

Police also closed off streets in front of the Garnier Opera house as emergency services landed two helicopters in front of the historic building to evacuate victims.

Cars were overturned by the blast and glass and rubble was strewn across large swathes of the street as dozens of residents were treated by rescue workers.

Dozens of tourists, suitcases in hand, were evacuated from the many nearby hotels in the area, a popular weekend shopping destination for locals and visitors alike.

Many homes and buildings in Paris use gas for heating and cooking, though explosions due to leaks are relatively rare.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Compiled by Zhan Huilan)