The smoke coming from the ground alerted local residents and passers-by.
A fire broke out during the night from Friday to Saturday on the construction site of the future Eole line at La Défense-Grande Arche station.
No injuries were reported and the damage remains minimal.
It was around 11:30 p.m. when emergency services were notified after smoke emanations were seen on the surface of this underground construction site.
Around fifty firefighters immediately intervened in accordance with the protocol developed to intervene on this site.
Firefighters quickly noted that the incident was of minor importance.
It was in fact a construction site and a wooden floor located under the tracks which caught fire in the ninth basement of the future station.
Firefighters quickly put the flames under control using several fire extinguishers and a fire hose.
Although the fire was quickly contained, firefighters had to stay on site for up to two hours to clear the charred debris and ventilate the area.
No impact on the work schedule
An electrical short circuit is believed to be the cause of the fire, which would not a priori have any impact on the work schedule.
This new station must in fact be delivered next April.
This is the date on which the first section of the western extension of the RER E between Saint-Lazare station and Nanterre will open during off-peak hours in order to serve the three new stations of Porte Maillot, La Défense-Grande Arche and Nanterre la Folie .
We will have to wait until September 2024 for full opening.
SNCF and Île-de-France Mobilités, the transport authority, are however considering a solution to run trains to the west during peak hours during the Olympics.
The line will then be extended in a second phase to reach Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines) in 2026.