Eiffel tower reopens after fire
The Eiffel Tower reopened today after thousands of visitors were evacuated when an electrical fire broke out near the top of the Paris landmark.
Tourists were only allowed onto the two lower observation decks while workers cleaned debris from the top two decks following last night’s blaze.
The tower’s 905ft third floor, where the flames broke out, was expected to reopen later in the day, an official said.
The fire, which started in a telecoms room, sent thick grey smoke pouring from the top of the tower – the highest structure on the Paris skyline.
No one was hurt by the blaze, which began in an area sealed off from the public and was put out with an hour.
Officials praised the quick work by about 100 firefighters who safely evacuated as many as 4,000 visitors.
The same section of the tower caught fire in 1956, destroying the summit.
The Eiffel Tower has attracted more than 200 million visitors since it opened in 1889. It is the world’s most popular paying tourist attraction.
