Historic Paris Marché des Enfants Rouges gutted by fire
The historic covered Marché des Enfants Rouges in central Paris was destroyed in a fire early Monday morning. One firefighter suffered minor injuries and no other casualties have been reported so far.
According to French media, firefighters were alerted to the blaze at around 4:15 a.m. local time. Fire crews brought the fire under control, but the market’s metal structure collapsed and the covered section was almost completely destroyed.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to determine the origin of the fire. The cause had not been established at the time of publication.
The Marché des Enfants Rouges was founded in 1615 and is considered the oldest covered food market in Paris. The site was listed as a historic monument in France in 1982.
The fire came as a number of French cities, including Paris, have in recent days seen clashes between protesting students and police. However, French media have denied any link between the protests and the market fire.
