The mill wheel of the world-famous Paris variety theater Moulin Rouge has fallen from the roof onto the sidewalk. No people were injured. Shortly before 2 a.m. the bike fell onto the street, Moulin Rouge general director Jean Victor Clerico told broadcaster BFMTV on Thursday. Since the theater closes at 1:30 a.m., fortunately there was no one left in front of the building. What is certain is that it is not a case of sabotage because the Moulin Rouge is guarded around the clock.
It is not yet possible to say why the wheel fell, said the theater director. It was checked every two months by external experts and weekly by the theater itself, without any abnormalities. The fact that the bike fell down as a whole indicates a defect in the suspension axle.
A new mill wheel should of course be installed as quickly as possible. The work on this has already been commissioned. The Moulin Rouge also received many encouraging messages from the neighborhood.
Experts are investigating the security of the building
The cause of the incident on Thursday night is still completely unclear, Paris police prefect Laurent Nuñez told broadcaster TF1 this morning. The area was cordoned off and experts were investigating the security of the building. Pictures showed that the damaged mill wheel was lying in its entirety in front of the cabaret theater. Three letters of the large Moulin Rouge sign were also torn down.
There is no risk of collapse for the rest of the building, broadcaster BFMTV reported. It was the first emergency at the Moulin Rouge since a fire in 1915, after which the theater was closed for nine years, the station reported.
The oldest cabaret in Paris is a tourist magnet
The Moulin Rouge, which celebrates its 135th anniversary in October, is the oldest cabaret in Paris and one of the city’s landmarks. The house still shines in sinful red, although the days when it symbolized frivolous Paris are long gone. The audience at the entertainment temple in Montmartre has also changed. The bohemian spirit of yesteryear has given way to tourists from all over the world. The Moulin Rouge is one of the most visited attractions in Paris.