The oldest red boy market in Paris was completely destroyed by fire. Merchants lamented: a waking nightmare

The Red Boy Market in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris is famous for its many delicatessen stalls and specialty merchants. It is crowded with people during holidays and is one of the popular landmarks among residents and tourists. The oldest covered market in Paris caught fire early this morning and was completely destroyed.

Le Parisien reported that the fire started around 3 or 4 a.m. and spread in the Marché des Enfants-Rouges, which covers an area of ​​about 1,000 square meters. The cause of the fire is unknown.

The fire brigade quickly dispatched about 150 firefighters to control the fire. Only one person felt slightly uncomfortable, and there were no casualties. Nearby buildings were not affected.

Early this morning, more than 10 fire trucks gathered around the market. Noémie Wagner, chairman of the Honghaier Market Merchants Association, choked up and said: "Everything is ruined... The situation I saw was miserable."

"I grew up here and it's hard to accept that 20 or 30 years have been reduced to ashes," she said.

Jean-Philippe Nikoghossian, the owner of a restaurant in the market, said: "The market is gone... I still can't believe it. It's a waking nightmare." He was awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call from the tenant above the restaurant. He rushed to the scene within 5 minutes and saw the fire engulfing the market with his own eyes.

The Red Boy Market was built in 1615 and is the oldest indoor market in Paris. It was listed as a historical monument in 1982. The name "Red Boy" comes from the red clothes worn by the residents of a nearby nursery founded in 1536. The nursery closed in 1772.

In addition to fruit and vegetable, fresh produce and flower stalls, the Red Boy Market also has stalls for pizza, Japanese cuisine, North African cuisine, Italian cuisine, etc. There are many restaurants around, and there are often long queues during holidays.

The report mentioned that the market was in danger of disappearing due to development projects in the 1990s, but it was preserved through the mobilization of merchants and residents. After renovation, it reopened in 2000.

Le Figaro newspaper reported that now only charred metal building materials and wood, deformed steel beams and rubble are left at the scene, and "nothing can be saved."

The fire department also stated that the market was "completely destroyed and all the stalls were burned down."

After an inspection in the morning, Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said that vendors will be temporarily relocated elsewhere to allow them to resume business as soon as possible.