The Eiffel Tower was evacuated on Christmas Eve after a fire alarm was triggered by a technical problem in a lift.
Approximately 1,000 visitors were escorted out of the landmark Tuesday morning while French emergency services investigated the issue.
According to The Daily Mail, a spokesman for SETE, the tower’s management company, confirmed that the problem was a short circuit in the elevator power rail between the second floor and the top of the monument. The fire alarm was set off at 10:50 AM, prompting the evacuation in line with safety protocols.
There was no fire, and no visitors were at risk, the spokesperson assured. Investigations were launched to determine the cause of the incident, and the tower was gradually reopened later in the day.
The Eiffel Tower, standing at 1,083 feet, is one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, attracting around six million visitors annually. Fire security has been heightened at Paris monuments since the 2019 Notre Dame blaze.
