Tuesday’s apparent intentional burning of electrical cable clusters resulted in cascade train cancellations, effectively shutting down service at one of the busiest stations in the French capital.
Forty-eight cables were destroyed by two fires, according to the national rail operator, SNCF, who said the wires powered signals for trains on the network.
Transport Minister Clément Beaune called it “a shameful act.” In a legal complaint, it claimed that the overnight damage was intentional.
The purported vandalism’s causes remain a mystery. However, it essentially shut down Gare de l’Est, a station that typically connects Paris to eastern cities and villages, including those in nearby nations.
High-speed and slower regional train service to and from the station has been interrupted, according to SNCF, with only three lines being spared.
Repair teams are attempting to restore the impacted lines, according to SNCF.
However, it also stated that Tuesday might see a suspension of services at the station, which hundreds of thousands of passengers utilize daily.
🚄 À la suite d'un acte de malveillance, le trafic de tous les trains à l'arrivée et au départ de la gare de l'Est, à Paris, est suspendu, ce mardi 24 janvier. Des dizaines de câbles électriques ont été volontairement brûlés dans la nuit.
▶️ #JT13h pic.twitter.com/t1DwuEb1a4
— Info France 2 (@infofrance2) January 24, 2023
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