Eiffel Tower evacuated: 1,200 flee landmark Paris attraction after fire alarm causes chaos

Initial reports suggested a potential blaze in the lift shaft, leading emergency services to establish a security perimeter around the tower.

However, officials later confirmed the cause was a technical problem rather than an actual fire.

A spokesman for SETE, the tower's management company, explained that a short circuit in an elevator power rail triggered the fire alarm at 10.50am.

The technical fault occurred in the section between the second floor and the top of the monument.

"In accordance with current safety procedures, we evacuated the monument," the SETE spokesman said.

Emergency services were called to inspect the problem, with around 1,200 people leaving the historic French landmark.

• France to 'demand more cash' from Britain to patrol their OWN beaches to thwart migrant crossings
• Pelicot's daughter tells 'monster' dad he will 'die alone' as family labels rape sentences 'too low'
• Emmanuel Macron is finished and will be forced to RESIGN, Marine Le Pen vows

The SETE spokesman also confirmed that there was no actual fire during the incident, stating: "No visitors were put in danger."

The evacuation was purely a precautionary measure in line with standard safety protocols.

Officials moved swiftly to investigate the cause of the alarm, with emergency services conducting thorough checks of the affected area.

The technical malfunction prompted immediate action from tower management, demonstrating the strict safety measures in place at the landmark.

A police source later confirmed that any concerns about a potential blaze had been addressed, with the situation fully under control by midday local time.

Following investigations, officials announced the tower would "reopen gradually during the day".

The Eiffel Tower, which stands at 1,083ft tall, welcomes approximately six million visitors annually.

Fire security has been heightened at all Paris monuments since the devastating Notre Dame Cathedral blaze in 2019.

The Christmas Eve incident occurred shortly after the unveiling of Notre Dame's nearly £1billion restoration.

Prince William and incoming US President Donald Trump were among those attending the reopening ceremony.

The Eiffel Tower typically receives up to 25,000 visitors daily at its location in Champ de Mars.

A separate fire was reported earlier that morning at rue de la Pépinière, near St Lazare train station, though this was unrelated to the tower incident.