A massive fire on Wednesday broke out at the Bank of France’s money printing factory in Chamalieres, central France.
Online footage showed huge plumes of smoke rising from the factory on Wednesday morning, but authorities said the blaze was under control by noon.
En ce moment à la banque de france Clermont ferrand #clermontferrand #banquedefrance #incendie pic.twitter.com/NYPfPNLy7Z
— Thewatchoniste (@thewatchoniste) February 9, 2022
According to local media accounts, 34 individuals were injured, including ten who were transferred to a neighboring hospital in Clermont-Ferrand.
At 10:50 a.m., the Bank of France posted a statement on social media stating that the fire had been extinguished, the building had been evacuated, and the 387 personnel who had been on site were safe.
The governor of Puy-de-Dome Philippe Chopin says there will be a judicial inquiry to ascertain the cause of fire.
The prefecture had earlier in the day ordered the local population to stay at home and not open the windows due to the discharge of smoke, according to the France Bleu news website.
