Explosion Threat Forces Evacuation At Paris Olympics Media Center - Report

The area around the media centre serving journalists covering the Paris Olympic Games was temporarily closed by French police on Saturday due to an "explosion risk."

Journalists and citizens were evacuated, but the cause of the risk was not disclosed, as reported by TRT World.

Photo Credit: PTI

Explosion Threat At Paris Olympics

The area was later reopened to pedestrian traffic, and access to and from the media centre returned to normal. Security measures in France were increased to prevent new sabotage on train lines. Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete stated on the LCI channel that security and surveillance of the railway network had been significantly strengthened after the arson attacks on Friday.

More than 1,000 employees and 250 security personnel have been deployed to monitor the railway network, with gendarmerie helicopters and 50 drones mobilized. Disruptions to train services on Sunday were anticipated, but operations were expected to return to normal starting Saturday, as reported by First Post.

An investigation into the attacks is ongoing, and the perpetrators have not yet been identified. No warnings from intelligence services regarding the arson attacks were received, and €5 million ($5.4 million) has been spent to enhance the security of the railway network in the Ile-de-France region, including Paris, as part of the Games.

Train lines in Pagny-sur-Moselle, Courtalain, and Croisilles across France were set on fire hours before the opening ceremony of the Games on Friday. An arson attempt on a train line in Vergigny was prevented. Paris 2024 has gotten off to a rough start amid chaos and controversies.

In Paris, where 16 million tourists are expected during the Games, metro services were disrupted. An announcement on X by Paris's 8th metro line stated that services at the Opera station were disrupted due to police intervention, with the reason for the intervention not disclosed, as per media reports.

Services on the Paris 13th metro line, which connects Paris to the suburb of Saint-Denis, were suspended between 12:52 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. local time due to a serious passenger accident, according to France Bleu, a network of local and regional radio stations in France.

Six metro cars were stuck in tunnels, and passengers in three of the cars disembarked and walked on metro tracks to the nearest station.