A major fire broke out early Monday morning at the town hall of Paris’ 12th arrondissement, severely damaging its 30-meter-high bell tower. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, according to the French News Agency (AFP).
Firefighters battled the flames for several hours before bringing the fire “under control” just before 7:00 a.m. (local time). The Paris fire service, alerted around 3:20 a.m., deployed approximately sixty vehicles and 150 firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
An AFP reporter at the scene noted that police established a large security perimeter around the historic 19th-century building. The fire, which started on the roof, spread to the bell tower, creating a “risk of collapse,” according to fire officials.
“We now need to confirm that nothing will fall,” a spokesperson said, adding that firefighters would remain on-site throughout the day to monitor the situation.
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