UPDATE - Fire in residential building kills 10, including 5 children, in France

UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM TURKISH CONSULATE GENERAL IN LYON; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – A fire in a residential building left 10 people dead, including five children, in southeastern France on Friday, authorities said.

The fire started early morning in Lyon's suburb Vaulx-en-Velin in a seven-story apartment block, according to a statement by the Rhone prefecture.

The fire was extinguished.

The Turkish Consulate General in Lyon expressed sorrow over the incident.

"We are closely following, in coordination with the local authorities, the situation of our citizens who were residing in that building and who might have been affected by the fire," it said on Twitter.

Pictures shared in the tweet showed Turkish Consul General Muslum Aygun visiting the site of the incident and discussing with Vaulx-en-Velin Mayor Helene Geoffroy.

A Turkish woman, Umran, was reported missing after the fire by her brother Enes.

Anadolu Agency contacted the family of Umran, and Enes confirmed he cannot reach his 32-year-old sister who was staying in the building.

Enes said he went to the crisis center immediately after the incident but could not get information about Umran.

The Rhone prefecture earlier said the cause of the fire remains unknown.

"Ten people, including five children, have died. Four injured people are in critical condition and 10 others, including two firefighters, are slightly injured," it also said.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin visited the fire site.

Darmanin said that the five children who were killed in the fire were aged between 3 and 15 and that firefighters have rescued 15 people so far.

"Not all the victims have been identified yet," the minister said, adding that an investigation was launched to determine the causes of the fire.

He said it is too early to draw conclusions.