The Eiffel Tower evacuated tourists on Tuesday morning after the fire alarm was triggered, according to the tower’s operating company. At around 10:50 a.m. local time, the fire alarm went off due to a short circuit on the power rail of an elevator connecting the second floor to the top, as reported by the operating and management company SETE in a statement sent to USA TODAY. Following standard procedure, the tower was cleared of visitors, and firefighters were dispatched to the scene, SETE confirmed. Fortunately, no one was endangered, and the company responsible for maintaining the elevators will conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. By the afternoon, the tower had been reopened up to the second floor.
The recent incident at the Eiffel Tower comes in the wake of the Notre-Dame Cathedral reopening to the public following extensive renovations after a devastating fire in 2019. The iconic Parisian landmarks have both faced challenges, with the Eiffel Tower having a significant role in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. Notably, the tower has received five new rings that the mayor intends to keep on the monument permanently, a decision that has stirred some controversy.
Visitors to the Eiffel Tower have the option to explore three different levels: the first floor, the second floor, and the pinnacle of the tower. The technical issue that prompted the fire alarm on Christmas Eve occurred between the second floor and the top of the tower, where the columns merge into a single structure.
