The historic Palace of Versailles in Paris was briefly evacuated on Tuesday afternoon due to plumes of smoke spotted during renovation work on the roof near the Marble Court. The palace press office confirmed that there was no fire, but smoke was coming from a “hot zone” in the wood of the roofing. Local firefighters quickly extinguished the smoke, and no injuries or damage were reported.
The Palace of Versailles is a popular tourist destination, attracting around 8 million visitors annually. Tourists were evacuated in accordance with safety protocol after the smoke was detected around 3:15 p.m. They were allowed back in by 4:30 p.m.
This incident brought back memories of the devastating fire at Notre Dame cathedral in 2019, which resulted in the collapse of the spire. The restoration of Notre Dame is set to be completed by the end of 2024.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident at the Palace of Versailles. The safety of visitors and the preservation of the historic building and its heritage collections are top priorities for the authorities.
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