Moulin Rouge windmill collapses at famous Paris landmark

The famous red sails on top of the historic Moulin Rouge windmill have crashed to the ground.

Officials have the been trying to find out what happened to the iconic blades at Paris' most famous club, however firefighters have said there is no further risk of collapse to landmark building.

A spokesman for the Moulin Rouge reportedly said: "We don't know what happened, it occurred between 2am and 3am, no one was hurt." He added that last night's show had finished at 1:15am.

“Fortunately this happened after closing,” a Moulin Rouge official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “Every week, the cabaret’s technical teams check the windmill mechanism and did not note any problems,” the source continued, adding that there were no more details at the moment on the reason for the collapse, reports the Mirror.

Dramatic images show the wreckage of the sails on the floor in front of the building with locals looking on in shock in what is believed to be the first time such an accident had happened since the cabaret first opened on 6 October 1889.

Speaking to Le Parisien newspaper, head waiter at the Moulin Rouge in the 1980s, André Duval, said: "Paris without its windmill is like Paris without its Eiffel Tower". Another local, Raphaël, said it was "quite disturbing" to see the windmill without the sails with the cabaret due to celebrate its 135th anniversary on 6 October.

The Moulin Rouge, at the foot of the Montmartre hill in northern Paris, is one of the most visited landmarks in the city and is known as the birthplace of the can-can dance. Jean-Victor Clerico, the director of the cabaret, said there was no sign of "foul play", adding the cause was "obviously a technical problem".

The location soon became a focal point for the Paris night scene after being built and its exterior became recognised around the world. In the past, the only serious accident the Moulin Rouge suffered was a famous fire that started during works in 1915, and the original building burned to the ground.

The website for the cabaret states: "The Moulin Rouge, a spectacular world exists where all the emotions, surprises and effervescence, that constitute the Paris party spirit since 1889, are created and experienced. Come and enjoy the Féerie Revue show, composed of 80 artists from all over the world, some 1000 costumes of feathers, sequins and rhinestones which enhance the bodies of our artists, a multitude of breath-taking acts which punctuate the show, and the legendary French Cancan – the Parisian cabaret invites you to enjoy an unforgettable moment of enchantment in the heart of Montmartre."

The incident comes just months before Paris hosts the Olympic Games when he city is expecting thousands of tourists who will also come to see the famous sites of the French capital including the Moulin Rouge.

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