France. Suspect killed, six officers injured in house blast during arrest – reports | world news

At least six police officers were injured in the explosion of a house in France, according to media reports.

Gendarmes, France’s paramilitary police, had gone to the scene to arrest a man who was later killed in the blast in the central Allier region, it is believed.

For several days, the suspect, named Christophe B, 38, has allegedly made death threats, in particular against a prison and probation officer.

Three officers managed to arrest the man before noticing a very strong smell of gasoline. The explosion then occurred, setting the property on fire.

The three police officers were seriously burned and taken to hospital.

Three other officers who entered the house to rescue their colleagues suffered less serious injuries.

The suspect’s body was found after the fire was extinguished.

“Three gendarmes were seriously injured following an explosion in a house in which they had come to arrest an individual, himself deceased,” said the public prosecutor Eric Neveu.