A fire broke out around 3 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at Marché des Enfants Rouges in Paris, leaving the historic covered market severely damaged, according to the licensed report, which cites Reuters and local officials.
Central Paris Mayor Ariel Weil said about 20 merchants lost their stalls. The Paris fire and rescue service reported that crews used nine hoses, including two high-powered hoses, to control the blaze. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said 150 firefighters were deployed and that authorities were investigating the cause.
Grégoire also said the city would seek temporary locations for the affected businesses so they could continue operating. Weil advised people to avoid the area around Rue de Bretagne.
The market, in the Marais district, was founded in 1615 during the reign of Louis XIII. The City of Paris says it became a popular destination for residents and visitors. Its name translates as “Market of the Red Children,” a reference to a nearby orphanage whose children wore red, according to the city’s account.
Designated a historic monument in 1982, the market had faced a proposed redevelopment in the 1990s that would have replaced it with other facilities, the source report says. By the early 2000s, it had become a food-focused market with restaurants and vendors offering a range of cuisines and products.
The cause of the fire and the full extent of the damage were not established in the supplied report.
