Massive fire destroys 400-year-old food market, leaving historic landmark in ruins
A fire engulfed Marché des Enfants Rouges, Paris’s oldest covered food market, destroying vendor stalls and leaving the historic site devastated. About 20 merchants lost their stalls, and the blaze has prompted an investigation into its cause.
The fire began at around 3am on Monday, 12 October, and took firefighters several hours to control. Some 150 firefighters and nine hoses, including two high-powered hoses, were deployed. Founded in 1615 in the Marais district, the market became a culinary destination with a broad range of food stalls and restaurants; city officials say they will find temporary premises for affected businesses.
- Fire devastated Paris’s oldest covered food market.
- About 20 merchants lost their stalls.
- Officials plan temporary locations while the cause is investigated.
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Marché des Enfants Rouges is a covered food market in Paris’s Marais district. Founded in 1615, it is considered the city’s oldest covered market and has long been a place where residents and visitors could buy food and eat at stalls and small restaurants.
Around 20 merchants operated there, offering a range of foods. The market is both a local trading place and a historic landmark, so damage affects the businesses that relied on it as well as a site with centuries of history.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. City officials say they will seek temporary premises for the affected businesses while the market’s future is considered.