Paris fire destroys Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city’s oldest covered market

More than 150 firefighters fought the blaze that started just after 3 am, leaving the iconic market completely destroyed.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:23:21 GMT

Early on Monday, October 12, a fire ripped through the Marché des Enfants Rouges in Paris’s Marais district, destroying the historic covered market, officials said.

What happened

The blaze broke out shortly after 3 am, igniting the iron‑and‑glass roof and the 17 food stalls that occupy the market. Video posted on social media showed towering flames and thick smoke above the venue. More than 150 firefighters and 50 fire trucks were deployed, battling the fire for over two hours and preventing it from spreading to adjacent buildings. Lt Col Pierre de Bouvier of the Paris fire service said much of the metal structure collapsed and most stalls were consumed by flames. One firefighter suffered minor injuries.

What the reports add

France 24 noted that the market’s entrance was blackened when visitors arrived later that morning and that police cordons and fire trucks surrounded the site. It also reported that the fire completely gutted the roof and torched all stalls.
The Guardian highlighted that the market, founded in 1615 and listed as a historic monument since 1982, was “totally destroyed,” and emphasized that the fire did not spread to surrounding structures, a point echoed by the mayor.
Both outlets mentioned that the cause of the fire was not yet known.
France 24 quoted a visitor, Ricky, who said, “It was such a lovely place, so charming – and now it’s gone. It’s tragic.”
Ahmed Ouaddi, whose Moroccan couscous stall had been a fixture for decades, told France 24, “We’re all a big family, and now we’ve been orphaned. Our livelihoods have gone up in smoke.”
Food & Wine ranked the market fifth worldwide for street food in the year of the fire.

What was said

“The market was completely destroyed,” Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire told France 24, thanking firefighters for their two‑hour effort.

“The market was totally destroyed,” central Paris mayor Ariel Weil told the Guardian, adding, “The worst was avoided: the fire did not spread to the surrounding buildings. But there is a lot of emotion. A lot of sadness.”

How it came about

The Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city’s oldest surviving covered food market, dates back to 1615 and takes its name from a nearby 16th‑century orphanage. It survived a 1982 historic‑monument listing and a later proposal by then‑Mayor Jacques Chirac to replace it with an underground car park. The market has long been a culinary hub for locals and tourists, drawing thousands of visitors daily. Earlier this week, Paris was dealing with student protests at Hélène Boucher high school, as reported in Felo’s coverage, but the fire was unrelated to those events.

Key facts

The fire started shortly after 3 am on October 12, 2026. (theguardian.com)
More than 150 firefighters fought the blaze for over two hours. (france24.com)
All 17 food stalls and the iron‑and‑glass roof were destroyed. (france24.com)
Mayor Ariel Weil said the market was "totally destroyed" but the fire did not spread to surrounding buildings. (theguardian.com)
The market, founded in 1615, was listed as a historic monument in 1982. (theguardian.com)