Fire erupts in central Paris after gas explosion

A fiery gas explosion in central Paris resulted in injuries to at least 29 people and drew hundreds of firefighters to the scene on Wednesday afternoon.

Some 270 firefighters were deployed to the scene near Rue Saint Jacques in the city's fifth arrondissement, and have contained the fire, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told reporters.

Four people were "critically injured" in the incident, police told CNN, and officials say rescue workers are looking for at least two people thought to be missing in the rubble.

The Paris prosecutor, who is probing the incident, said that early signs indicate that the gas explosion came from within the building that houses the Paris American Academy, according to CNN affiliate, BFMTV.

Laure Beccuau, who visited the scene, said investigators will be leaning on accounts from injured persons in their inquiry.

A part of the building collapsed following the blast and fire, videos show. Smoke was seen billowing from the rubble earlier on Wednesday as rescue workers attempted to tackle the blaze.

Paris American Academy, a fashion and design school, describes itself on its website as the "first bilingual design school" in the French capital