A fire has broken out France‘s historic Palace of Versailles on the outskirts of Paris, prompting staff to order a mass evacuation of tourists.
Shocking images shared on social media showed trails of white smoke billowing from the roof of the immense 18th-century palace, located in the city of the same name, some 16 kilometers from the heart of the French capital.
French media reported that a fire alarm went off in one of the buildings and alerted staff who immediately called emergency services.
Firefighters responded to the castle early this afternoon to extinguish the blaze as tourists and staff left the legendary building and poured into the extensive gardens surrounding it.
Footage showed hundreds of restless visitors flooding the courtyard outside one of the buildings as firefighters entered the building to locate and extinguish the flames.
An aerial photo taken on April 28, 2021 shows the Royal Chapel after its renovation at the Chateau de Versailles (Palace of Versailles) in Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris
A general view of the famous Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles near Paris
A palace spokesman confirmed at 3.30pm that a fire had broken out, but said firefighters had managed to extinguish the blaze.
‘The incident was quickly brought under control and the public was evacuated for safety reasons.
“The castle and gardens are now open,” the statement said.
