Marché des Enfants Rouges Destroyed by Massive Paris Fire
An intense fire broke out in the early hours of Monday, October 12, destroying the historic Marché des Enfants Rouges in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, bfmtv.com reported.
Flames engulf the historic covered market
The blaze began at approximately 4:15 a.m., spreading rapidly through the partially covered market space located in the central Parisian neighborhood. When firefighters arrived at the scene, the structure was already fully ablaze. Lieutenant-Colonel de Bouvier stated that high flames engulfed the entire covered market.
The popular market houses several food stalls and producers, drawing heavy foot traffic from both local residents and tourists. By the time emergency crews contained the situation, the destruction was absolute. Ariel Weil, the mayor of Paris Centre, announced that while the fire was mastered, the facility was completely devastated.
Total destruction of the 1,000-square-meter structure
Paris firefighters confirmed that the entire 1,000-square-meter footprint of the market was ruined by the flames. At least two-thirds of the metallic framework collapsed during the incident.
“The covered market has been totally destroyed. There is nothing left,” Lieutenant-Colonel de Bouvier reiterated.
More than 150 firefighters utilizing roughly 50 rescue vehicles deployed to the location in the 3rd arrondissement. Eyewitnesses shared footage of the towering flames lighting up the night sky across social media platforms.
Police investigate cause as crews secure site
Fire crews transitioned from active firefighting to a meticulous search and securing phase, inspecting every single box and shop across the plot to rule out lingering hotspots. This detailed operation was expected to last through the early afternoon hours.
The exact trigger of the fire remains unknown. The central laboratory of the Paris police prefecture deployed investigators to the scene to conduct technical examinations and determine the root cause. Local authorities urged the public to steer clear of the cordoned-off sector while emergency teams finished their work.