Prosecutor: Deadly Paris Apartment Fire Was Arson

Paris' deadliest fire in over a decade claimed 10 lives, sending fleeing residents to the roof to escape the flames that engulfed their apartment building before dawn Tuesday.

A 40-year-old female resident, said to have a history of psychiatric problems, was detained near the eight-story building in the quiet neighborhood as police opened an investigation into voluntary arson resulting in death.

It is the deadliest fire in Paris since the April 2005 hotel fire near the capital's famed Opera that killed 24 people.

French President Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter to express that "France wakes up with emotion after the fire in rue Erlanger in Paris last night."

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner was the highest-ranking official on the scene, as plumes of smoke speckled the sky.

"I want to salute the huge mobilization of the Paris firefighters," he said. "More than 250 people arrived immediately and, throughout the night, saved over 50 people in truly exceptional conditions."

Firefighters rescued some from the roof as well as others who had clambered out of windows to escape the flames.

Castaner said the blaze that started on the second floor had been extinguished, and that over 30 people were being treated for "relatively" light injuries.

The fire was extinguished before dawn but firefighters were still going door-to-door in the eight-story structure to ensure there were no more victims and prevent additional flareups, spokesman Clement Cognon of the city fire service said.

Emergency workers were working to make sure the building doesn't collapse from the fire damage.