Around 1,200 visitors had to be evacuated from the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Eve on Tuesday after a short circuit caused a fire to start near one of the elevators between the second floor and the top of the tower, in morning.
“No visitors were put in danger […] A short circuit is believed to be the cause of the disaster. The fire did not spread. There were no injuries,” the Eiffel Tower Operating Company (SETE) told Le Parisien early Tuesday afternoon.
Around 10:50 a.m., a fire broke out at an electrical box connected to an elevator cable due to a short circuit between the second floor and the top of the courtyard, according to the French media.
AFP
“In accordance with the security procedures in force”, the SETE then evacuated the monument, which then had around 1,200 visitors, we can read.
In images filmed by a tourist and reported by AFP, we can see a group gathered at the foot of the imposing structure, including a man dressed as Santa Claus.
AFP
Fortunately, less than an hour later, the fire was extinguished and the doors were partially reopened at 12:15 p.m., but only “up to the second floor,” said Le Parisien.
“The elevator concerned was shut down as a safety measure, the three other devices are functional,” the firefighters told the French media, as they left the scene “after doubts were resolved.”
AFP
An investigation would have been opened to try to identify the cause of this incident, according to Le Parisien.
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