A major fire broke out near Paris’s new court complex on Monday, sending smoke across the city and prompting authorities to urge people to stay away. The blaze occurred at a recycling plant designed to handle household waste for nearly a million residents.
Firefighters responded quickly with 60 trucks and 200 personnel, but the fire had already spread through an underground area before being discovered. “The building is completely gutted and destroyed,” said Mayor Geoffrey Boulard. All staff were evacuated, with no reported injuries.
The Syctom recycling plant, which started operations in 2019, was located near the glass skyscraper designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, inaugurated in 2018. The fire’s cause is not yet clear, but an investigation has begun.
“This is a disaster on this scale without human damage,” said Corentin Duprey, president of the Syctom recycling plant. Thirty-one employees were present when the blaze started in a basement with highly combustible materials.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2998136