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Paris Ritz: Fire at world-famous hotel | Paris Ritz: Fire at world-famous hotel |
(35 minutes later) | |
A fire has broken out on the top floor of the five-star Ritz hotel in Paris. | A fire has broken out on the top floor of the five-star Ritz hotel in Paris. |
No injuries are reported and a fire service spokesman said the priority was to "stop the fire spreading". | No injuries are reported and a fire service spokesman said the priority was to "stop the fire spreading". |
The hotel - which is famously where Princess Diana spent her last evening - is currently closed for renovations and there are no guests staying there. | |
The alert was raised at 06:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and about 60 firefighters and 15 fire engines were sent to the scene. | The alert was raised at 06:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and about 60 firefighters and 15 fire engines were sent to the scene. |
Paris police tweeted that there was a "major fire", and advised motorists to avoid the Place Vendome area. | Paris police tweeted that there was a "major fire", and advised motorists to avoid the Place Vendome area. |
The area was blocked off at the height of the morning rush hour, while firefighters on cranes sprayed the flames. | The area was blocked off at the height of the morning rush hour, while firefighters on cranes sprayed the flames. |
Fire captain Yvon Bot said the fire was unusually difficult to access and control. | Fire captain Yvon Bot said the fire was unusually difficult to access and control. |
Princess Diana dined at the hotel on 30 August 1997. Later that night she and her companion Dodi al-Fayed were killed in a car crash. He was the son of the hotel's owner, Egyptian billionaire and Harrods owner Mohamed al-Fayed. | |
It was also the hotel of choice for Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway. | It was also the hotel of choice for Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway. |
It was due to re-open later this year after a three-year closure for renovations. | It was due to re-open later this year after a three-year closure for renovations. |
The Ritz name, used for hotels around the world, comes from a Swiss hotelier called Cesar Ritz, who set up the Paris Ritz and the London Ritz more than a century ago. | |
Both hotels are now independently owned. | |
Are you in the area of the Ritz Hotel, Paris? What have you seen? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories and experiences. | |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |