Story By: Ernest Bio Bogore, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A woman French police believe was a prostitute has survived a fall from a third-floor block of flats while apparently trying to escape during a police raid.

The incident took place in the city of Lyon in the French department of Rhone while the unnamed victim was in her flat. Also present was a man found hiding in the flat who has been arrested and charged with aggravated pimping.

According to local media, the police were carrying out an operation against the suspected prostitution network and officers had entered the building to quiz suspects, but the 42-year-old victim refused to open her front door.

The prostitute then fell from a third-floor window while reportedly trying to climb down to the street below.

Reports said the woman was hospitalised in a critical condition and continues to battle for her life after initially erroneously claiming she had died.

According to local media, the authorities were carrying out an operation against a suspected prostitution network and five arrests were made in total in the Lyon area.

The presumed kingpin, a rich property owner, is suspected of having rented out several apartments for prostitutes, mostly from Brazil.

The woman was reportedly taken to the Edouard-Herriot Hospital.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.