Dozens of cars destroyed in airport parking fire near Paris CDG
Holidaymakers return to learn fate of vehicle
Holidaymakers returning to Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport face an unwelcome wait to find out whether their cars survived a major fire at a nearby parking facility.
Around 80 vehicles were damaged or destroyed when a fire swept through an industrial site in Louvres, Val-d'Oise, on August 11.
The blaze, which sent a huge column of black smoke into the sky, broke out shortly after 15:00 at an industrial building on Avenue de la Gare, around 10km from Charles-de-Gaulle airport.
The site also includes parking facilities used by travellers who leave their cars there while flying from the airport.
Cars left while owners were abroad
The fire came at one of the busiest periods of the year for airport parking, with many people travelling during the summer holidays.
The scale of the damage means some owners may have been away from their vehicles when the fire occurred, potentially leaving them waiting for information about what happened to their cars.
Parking operators in the area advertise outdoor spaces with shuttle services to CDG, allowing customers to leave their vehicles and travel to the airport by minibus.
One parking service operating at the fire site advertises a free shuttle to the airport and says the journey takes about eight minutes.
Fire brought under control
About 110 firefighters were mobilised and the fire was brought under control by the following morning, France 3 reports.
Two runways at Charles-de-Gaulle were temporarily closed as a precaution because of the smoke, although there was no significant impact on flights.
Rail and bus services in the area were also temporarily disrupted.
The cause of the fire has not been established, with social media speculation pointing to an electric car battery.
