Paris' Eiffel Tower briefly evacuated after bomb threat
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The Eiffel Tower was evacuated for several hours Saturday as Paris police investigated a bomb threat, the tower's operator said.
Three floors and the forecourt of the renowned Parisian landmark were closed at around 12:15 p.m. local time and reopened about three hours later, France's BFMTV reported.
SETE, the company that operates the monument known as The Iron Lady, confirmed to the broadcaster that a team of explosives experts were dispatched to the site to search for a possible bomb, after which the tower was reopened.
"It's a usual procedure in this kind of situation, which is rare nevertheless," the SETE spokesperson said.
The iconic tourist destination was cleared as a precautionary measure, a police source told the French daily Le Parisien.
The local government of Paris' 7th arrondissement also confirmed the tower was evacuated due to a bomb threat.
The Iron Lady hosted 5.8 million visitors in 2022, of which around 75% were foreigners, according to the Eiffel Tower's website. It is the world's most-visited paying monument.
The last time it was evacuated by a bomb threat was in September 2020.
