PARIS (AP) — Approximately 1,200 people were evacuated from the Eiffel Tower Tuesday after a fire broke out in an elevator shaft between the first and second floors of the iconic Paris landmark.
French police reported the blaze, which started due to an overheating device near an elevator cable, has been contained. Firefighters initially struggled to reach the fire’s source, according to local media reports.
“The fire has been brought under control and is now out,” journalist Julien Tellier of Boulevard Voltaire reported, citing police sources.
The incident forced the temporary closure of the tourist attraction, which typically welcomes between 15,000 and 25,000 visitors daily. The tower has experienced fires before, including a significant 1956 blaze in its television transmission room.
The emergency comes just weeks after Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral reopened following a devastating 2019 fire that destroyed its spire and roof. The cathedral’s December reopening drew world leaders and dignitaries, including former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Eiffel Tower officials have not yet commented on the extent of damage or when the monument will reopen to visitors.
