Two more bodies have been found in the rubble following an explosion that collapsed a building in the southern French city of Marseille.
The tragic discovery brings the confirmed death toll to four as rescuers continue searching for four more people who are unaccounted for.
Two other bodies had previously been found overnight. The judicial authority will proceed to identify the victims, firefighters said in a statement.
Minister for Cities and Housing Olivier Klein told reporters that at least four people have died, after he met with rescuers on site.
"The hope to find survivors is still there," Minister for Cities and Housing Olivier Klein told reporters.
"It is very meticulous work done by firefighters," he added, noting the risk for adjacent buildings to collapse.
More than 100 firefighters were mobilized for the searches.
Marseille mayor Benoit Payan tweeted Monday that "the pain and sorrow are great." He expressed his thoughts for the families of the victims and "those who are suffering."
"Rescue and search operations are continuing, without respite," he said.
An investigation has been opened for involuntary injury, at least initially sidestepping possible criminal intentions.
A gas explosion was among the avenues of investigation, prosecutor Dominique Laurens said Sunday evening.
The collapse occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday, in an old quarter in the center of Marseille, France's second-largest city, less than a kilometer (a half-mile) from its iconic old port.
About 200 people have been evacuated from their homes in the area.
Reports yesterday said the explosion could be heard in nearby neighbourhoods. Two neighbouring buildings tumbled as a result of the blast.
Residents of neighbouring buildings were evacuated and six were taken to hospital, Mayor Payan said. He added that one further building was in danger of collapsing.
"Firefighters are gauging minute by minute the best way to put out the fire," Mayor Payan said in a televised briefing.
"The lives of firefighters are also at play," he added.
Firefighters were trying to put out blazes under huge piles of rubble in a slow and delicate operation aimed at trying not to harm people potentially trapped.
Marseille fire brigade commander Lionel Mathieu said: "We're trying to drown the fire while preserving the lives of eventual victims under the rubble."
He added that the intense heat made it impossible to send in dog teams to search.
Pictures taken at the scene show large amounts of rubble piled up in the street. A number of fire firefighters can be seen standing around the collapsed building, with some even standing on top of rubble as the rescue operation continues.
In 2018, two buildings in the center of Marseille collapsed, killing eight people.
Those buildings were poorly maintained - not the case with the building that collapsed Sunday, the interior minister said.
