Thirteen people died in a fire early Saturday night in northern France when flames ripped through a bar full of patrons celebrating someone's birthday, according to reports.
The fire started after midnight in the basement of the Cuba Libre bar in Rouen, a city in eastern Normandy.
The small club was shut down for a private party the night of the blaze, officials said.
Initially eight people were reported dead and several others wounded, fire department officials said.
The number of victims climbed to 13 early Saturday, according to Paris-Normandie, a local news website. The victims were all aged 18 to 25.
Six people were pulled from the blaze alive, but are in grave condition, according to reports. More than 50 firefighters responded to the scene.
Eleven others who witnessed the tragedy were taken to a nearby police station for questioning as officials tried piecing together the chain of events, according to Paris-Normandie.
Afterward, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve lauded the fire department's quick response and expressed his sympathy for the victims and their families, while Prime Minister Manuel Valls took to Twitter to share his "deep sadness" and offer compassion and support.
A judicial inquiry is underway, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The terrible news had many in France on edge even as officials said preliminary investigations showed the inferno was accidental. Although early reports said an explosion sparked the blaze, local deputy prosecutor Laurent Labadie said the blast reported by neighbors was the sound of windows exploding from the heat of the flames.
The region of Normandy is still reeling from a deadly, ISIS-inspired church attack July 27 that left a priest dead. Meanwhile, France is still under a state of emergency following the Bastille Day truck attack that killed 85 in Nice.
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