Thick black smoke swells in the sky of the 9th arrondissement of Paris this Saturday morning.
Very close to the Opéra Garnier, the one-story windows are adorned with impressive orange flames.
The disaster, which did not make a victim, appears circumscribed this Saturday at midday.
Shortly before noon, a light smoke still escapes above two windows and traces of black soot reveal the scars of the disaster above three windows.
A security perimeter was quickly established, leading to the closure of the entire Place de l'Opéra.
The Opéra metro station, located on the same square, is closed.
Some 150 passers-by were evacuated.
The fire started at 17-19 boulevard des Capucines, opposite the Café de la Paix, on the 2nd floor of the building which houses the Benetton department store and the Five Guys fast food outlet on its ground floor.
The affected premises are offices, deserted on this Saturday.
The fire required the mobilization of 46 fire engines on site.
