This morning, the entire 12th is in turmoil. Indeed, during the night, a «roof fire » broke out in the heart of the town hall, calling in 150 firefighters and around sixty vehicles for several hours. While there were no human casualties to lament, and the fire is now under control, the material damage is likely to be extremely significant. Let’s take a look at the situation with you.
Notre-Dame 2.0 ?
It was a battle of giants that took place last night between the firefighters and the flames. And while it seems like the flames have set sail for now, the damage and risks are still very much present. Indeed, the fire that raged all night in the heart of the town hall.
The 12th primarily focused on the roof, but also (and especially) on the 32-meter tall spire that overlooks the building.#incendie #paris La mairie de #Paris12 en feu cette nuit #pompierdeparis pic.twitter.com/HUCZcGp5Ma
— Antoine Gerbelle (@GerbelleLaVie) January 27, 2025
This bell tower has been affected mainly at the tip, and even though the foundations have been partly spared, the upper part, which is very fragile, threatens to collapse at any moment, even now. This situation inevitably reminds all Parisians of the disaster that struck the Notre-Dame cathedral in 2019. For now, a safety zone is still in place to monitor the situation and consider various solutions, such as the installation of supports.
A neighborhood in shock and disarray
This disaster obviously impacts the residents of the neighborhood, many of whom discovered the damage upon waking up this morning, but also the community.hundreds of people work within the building. Just a reminder, this building, built in 1876, houses the second civil registry service in Paris, and also welcomes a nursery, the first Family Information Relay in Paris, a Housing and Habitat Information Relay, as well as the District Court of the arrondissement.
La première mairie du 12e arrondissement (située approximativement sur l’emplacement actuel de la Caserne des pompiers de la place Lachambeaudie) a été incendiée pendant la Semaine sanglante à la fin de la Commune. L'actuel bâtiment, construit en 1876, est contemporain des… pic.twitter.com/bnQ3naPbvY
— Claire L.⚜️ (@CLTrack2023) January 27, 2025
For now, some of the administrative documents and valuable artworks inside the building have been moved to a safe place. While we await the restoration of the site, and especially the removal of all the water used to put out the flames, various services will temporarily leave Avenue Daumesnil and will be set up at the 11th arrondissement town hall, which is located at Place Léon Blum.
