Around 3.20am on Monday, Parisian firefighters were alerted to a blaze at the town hall in the 12th arrondissement.
The fire had engulfed the 35-meter-high tower of the nineteenth-century building, prompting a large-scale response. According to French TV channel BFMTV, 153 firefighters were mobilised, with 60 vehicles, seven hoses, and seven ladders deployed to bring the fire under control.
By 7am, the fire was reportedly contained, although there was initial concern that the tower could collapse due to the intensity of the flames. A security perimeter was established around the site during the operation. By 7.30am, the flames had been extinguished, though debris from the building continued to fall.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said: “Uncertainty remains over the stability of the spire, which is still in danger of collapsing.It will probably take several days to assess all of this.”
Fire brigade spokesman Matthieu Lamouliatte told reporters the “the four pillars of the belfry were not affected”, adding Paris architects would examine if there was still a risk the tower could topple over.
The origin of the fire is not known, but “at this stage, I have no reason to believe that it is criminal”, Nunez said.
Firefighters are expected to remain on-site for the rest of the day to complete the operation, including draining the water used to suppress the fire.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo expressed sadness on Instagram over the “violent fire” at the town hall, which “set its bell tower ablaze and damaged the roof”.
