Fire forces evacuation of over 1,000 tourists from Eiffel Tower

Around 1,200 tourists were evacuated from the Eiffel Tower on December 24 following reports of a fire in one of its elevator shafts between the first and second floors.

The blaze, caused by an overheating elevator cable, was detected at approximately 10:30 (GMT+1) and has since been contained. As a precaution, access to the tower was temporarily restricted during the firefighting operation, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The Eiffel Tower, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, typically attracts between 15,000 and 25,000 visitors daily. While this recent incident caused some concern, it is not the first time the tower has faced fire-related challenges. A significant fire occurred in January 1956 in the tower’s TV control room, resulting in major damage to the upper section of the landmark.

The repairs took a year to complete, during which a new radio antenna was added to the top. The French capital has also been deeply affected by the 2019 fire that nearly destroyed the Notre Dame Cathedral, another iconic landmark. After a lengthy restoration period, the cathedral reopened to the public earlier this month.

By Naila Huseynova