Listed as a historic monument, the Enfants Rouges market was an institution both for the inhabitants of the Marais in Paris and for tourists. This morning, nothing remains of its 1,000 m2. The entire stands were ravaged by impressive flames on the night of October 11 to 12.
Firefighters were alerted around 4:15 a.m., when the fire was already progressing. Around 150 personnel went to the site to try to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading to neighboring buildings. This morning, no casualties were reported, the adjacent buildings were spared and the fire was brought under control.
The mayor of the 3rd arrondissement Ariel Weil deplored the importance of the losses represented by the disaster for the “twenty or so merchants” who have their stands there. At this time, the origin of the fire remains unknown, and teams are still mobilized to secure the area and monitor possible fire outbreaks.
The Enfants Rouges market is the oldest covered market in Paris, founded in 1615. It takes its name from the Hospice des Enfants-Rouges, a former 16th century hospital created by Marguerite de Navarre and intended to accommodate the orphaned children of Paris, who were dressed in red, the color of Christian charity.
Listed as a historic monument in 1982, the market was almost transformed into a car park in 1994, as part of the town planning program carried out by Jacques Chirac, then mayor of Paris. The project ultimately did not come to fruition and the market reopened in 2000 with new businesses.
Entrance to the Marché des Enfants Rouges, Paris 3rd.
