Car fire spread to forest near marseille - 100 injured and all air traffic stopped
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A large forest fire has swept through areas around Marseille in southern France, leaving around 100 people with minor injuries. Air traffic was halted, and hundreds of firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze.
🚗 Fire Sparked by Car Blaze
According to French and international media, the fire broke out late Tuesday morning around 11 AM when a car caught fire on a highway near Pennes-Mirabeau. From there, flames quickly spread across the terrain toward Marseille.
✈️ Major Travel Disruptions
The wildfire’s rapid expansion prompted authorities to:
- Suspend all flights to and from Marseille Airport
- Close sections of highways A50 and A55
- Halt parts of train services Over 700 firefighters reportedly battled the inferno throughout Tuesday.
🏥 Conflicting Reports on Hospital Impact
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau confirmed that 100 people were lightly injured and several hundred were evacuated. Although Le Figaro initially reported the fire had disrupted power to one of Marseille’s largest hospitals, local authorities later denied this, stating no hospitals were affected.
⚠️ City on Alert
As the fire edged closer to Marseille’s urban limits, Mayor Benoît Payan posted on X:
“The fire has reached the gates of Marseille.”
He urged residents to be extremely cautious and to minimize movement, particularly in the city’s northern districts, to allow emergency crews access.
Officials also advised several neighbourhoods to shelter indoors due to smoke, while hundreds of children at recreational centers in the north were brought inside for safety.
🔥 Second Major Blaze in Southern France
Since Monday, a separate fire has been raging in Narbonne, near the Spanish border. As of Tuesday, it had spread across approximately 2,000 hectares and remains uncontrolled.
🇪🇸 Fires Hit Spain Amid Heatwave
Spain is also battling blazes tied to the Mediterranean heatwave. In Tarragona, firefighters are confronting a fire that broke out Monday, affecting over 18,000 people and burning around 3,200 hectares.