http://www.paris.org/Ric/jul/25jul95/ (Einblicke ins Internet, 10/1995)

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Rescue workers in underground RER station, only minutes after arriving on scene. (Image Credit Antenne 2)

St. Michel RER station explosion

Richard Erickson's Paris Journal - Freelance Correspondent to the Paris Pages
All images copyright (c) 25 July 1995 Richard Erickson - used with permission

Paris - Tuesday 25 July 1995: At about 17:30 Paris time today, there was a violent explosion in the St. Michel RER station, in the sixth wagon of a line 'B' train. Four are reported dead, 16 seriously wounded, 67 others injured. All of the injured have been transported to Paris' hospitals; many lifted from the bomb scene by helicopters.

The explosion was followed by fire, which was quickly extinguished.

Members of the govt. were at the site, including the president of France, Jacques Chirac, who arrived 15 minutes after the blast and going underground to witness the damage.

A nearby cafe was taken over by medical authorities and used as an emergency first aid centre. TV reporters were denied entry as emergency amputations were performed there. Nevertheless A2, showed images of victims, their clothing in tatters and shreds, being assisted to the cafe or being carried on stretchers, wrapped in gold-coloured foil, to waiting helicopters.

Commentators on Antenne 2 News immediately suggested the possible origin of the bomb as being related to several current issues: the civil war in Algeria (a pro-FIS Imam was assassinated in Paris about 10 days ago); the Bosnian Serbs, in retaliation for France's espousal of a 'rapid' deployment force in Bosnia, or related to the impending visit to Paris of PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat. Recalled were the series of bombs that rocked the capital in 1986, cumulating in the September blast at Tati on the rue de Rennes that killed five and left scores maimed for life.

Shortly after 22:00 CET, a CNN reporter in Paris, quoted a police source as saying that a device weighing four kilos had been placed under a seat near the front of wagon six.

The line 'B' of the RER is the north-south line and the St. Michel station is used by 50,000 commuters daily; 10,000 during rush hour. The same station also serves line 'C' of the RER, so traffic east and west was also disrupted.

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Updated 07/95