A devastating fire broke out early Sunday in a residential building located in the picturesque city of Grasse on the French Riviera, resulting in the tragic loss of three lives, according to firefighters at the scene.

In addition to the three fatalities, three other individuals sustained serious injuries while four others suffered less severe injuries, firefighters reported. The blaze has been successfully extinguished, but the condition of the victims remains subject to change, as stated by Aymeric Soufflet from the firefighting service.

The origin of the fire, which occurred in Grasse’s historic centre, has yet to be determined. The incident affected solely the uppermost three floors of the building, leaving parts of its façade charred by the flames.

Emergency services were promptly notified by local residents at approximately 3:00 am (0100 GMT). Upon their arrival, the body of an individual who had jumped from the building was discovered at the front of the structure. Additionally, the remains of two more individuals were found within the building’s premises.

Martine, a resident of an adjacent building who preferred to be identified by her first name, recounted the harrowing experience. She shared that an alarm began sounding, followed by desperate cries for help. A woman urgently called out for assistance, raising the alarm by shouting “Fire!” Martine recounted that the woman implored her to contact the fire service, which she promptly did. Tragically, a man from the floor above attempted to escape the flames by descending but fell in the process.

Grasse, renowned as the world’s perfume capital, is now gripped by grief in the wake of this devastating incident.