TWO people have been killed in a deadly blaze which broke out at an upmarket ski resort in France.
Another 22 people were injured - four of them seriously - in the massive fire, which is said to have started in the early hours of Sunday morning in a building housing seasonal workers, including foreign nationals.
The deadly fire took place in Courchevel 1850, one of the five villages that make up the Courchevel resort in the French Alps in the Savoie region.
The four-storey building housed around 60 workers, who were mostly thought to be asleep when the fire broke out on the top floor.
Around 70 firefighters worked for approximately four hours to bring the fire under control, which also spread to two nearby buildings.
One witness Yarik Zanuda, from Georgia, captured the fire and rescue operation on his mobile phone. Video footage shows firefighters using ladders to rescue victims and at least one person jumping out of the blazing building.
It is understood that two of the workers who were among the four seriously injured, jumped out of the building to escape the flames.
A helicopter was used to airlift those who were seriously injured to hospital.
The bodies of the two people who died were discovered in the charred remains of the building and are in the process of being identified.
It is not known what caused the fire to break out.
Local government minister Frédéric Loiseau told French broadcaster BFMTV that an investigation had already been launched by public prosecutors.
Christophe Castaner, France's Interior Minister, tweeted: "My thoughts are with the families and relatives of the victims of the fire that ravaged the town of Courchevel." He also paid tribute to the firefighters and police who risked their lives.
It is understood that Courchevel welcomes around 5,000 seasonal workers each winter, including ski instructors and ski lift employees.
The residential part of the building was located above a Chanel shop. Courchevel 1850 is home to the most luxurious hotels in the ski resort, a private airstrip and Michelin-starred restaurants. It is popular with celebrities and royalty, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
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