A fire broke out at France’s historic Palace of Versailles, outside Paris, prompting staff to order a mass evacuation of tourists.
Images shared on social networks showed trails of white smoke emerging from the roof of the immense 17th century palace located in the city of the same name, about 16 kilometers from the heart of the French capital.
French media reported that a fire alarm was activated in one of the buildings and alerted staff, who quickly called emergency services.
Firefighters arrived at the castle in the early afternoon to extinguish the fire as tourists and members of staff filed out of the historic building into the extensive gardens that surround it.
Clips showed hundreds of restless visitors flooding the outdoor courtyard of one of the buildings as firefighters entered the building to locate and extinguish the flames.
Images shared on social networks showed trails of white smoke emerging from the roof of the immense 17th century palace located in the city of the same name, about 16 kilometers from the heart of the French capital.
Hundreds of tourists and staff members were evacuated from the palace.
White smoke comes out this afternoon from the roof of the Palace
An aerial photograph taken on April 28, 2021 shows the Royal Chapel after its renovation at the Chateau de Versailles (Palace of Versailles) in Versailles, outside Paris.
A general view of the famous Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, near Paris.
A palace spokesman confirmed at 3:30 p.m. that a fire had broken out, but said firefighters had managed to extinguish it.
“The firefighters came. There is no more smoke, no more flames and no damage to the collection.
“The incident was quickly brought under control and the public was evacuated as a safety measure.
“The castle and gardens are now open,” the statement said.
The Palace, built in the 17th century by King Louis XIV, was the main royal residence until the French Revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy in 1789.
It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in France along with places like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre.
Notre Dame suffered a devastating fire in 2019 that destroyed its roof and required a massive renovation project that is still ongoing today.
Notre Dame’s new spire was first seen in February. The spire is decorated with a golden rooster and a cross.
Notre Dame Cathedral was devastated by a fire in April 2019 and French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild it.
Scaffolding removed from the top of the Gothic cathedral
In February of this year, workers unveiled the cathedral’s new spire for the first time: a golden rooster perched on a cross that resembles a phoenix rising from the ashes.
The designers said the new spire, which was installed in December, symbolizes resilience and renewal.
In April 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild Notre Dame after fire destroyed the famous Catholic cathedral.
The 300-foot-high Gothic spire collapsed into embers at the start of the fire and much of the building, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was destroyed.
Cathedral officials said the spire alone was protected by around 70,000 pieces of scaffolding, totaling a dizzying 600 tons, before it opened in February.
A fire misting system has also been implemented under the cathedral roof and the original cross has been recreated.
The 300-foot-high Gothic spire collapsed into embers at the start of the fire and much of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed building was destroyed.
Other restoration efforts include a fire misting system beneath the cathedral roof and the recreation of the original cross.
A resident near the cathedral, Frederico Benani, who witnessed the fire five years ago, was moved to see the new spire.
He said, ‘I can open the window in the morning. I see Notre Dame. I see the needle: it is for me, beautiful and it is much better than before. It gives us hope.”
Notre Dame is still surrounded by scaffolding as builders work feverishly to meet its planned Dec. 8 reopening date.
The iconic monument was initially expected to be ready to welcome tourists again for the Paris Olympics in July and August, but the extent of the damage meant renovations were simply too complex.
