Fire Devastates 400-Year-Old Paris Food Market Founded in 1615 A massive fire destroyed about 20 merchant stalls at the oldest covered food market in Paris, founded in 1615, leaving the historic Marais landmark in ruins as investigators search for the cause. A massive fire ravaged the oldest covered food market in Paris, founded in 1615, destroying about 20 merchant stalls and leaving the historic landmark in ruins. Investigators are now searching for the cause of the blaze. The market, located in the Marais district in the city's 3rd arrondissement, was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Monday, Oct. 12. The fire broke out around 3 a.m. Monday, and firefighters worked for several hours to quell the flames, Reuters reported. The fire left the market in ruins, with about 20 merchants losing their stalls, according to Ariel Weil, the mayor of central Paris.Fire Brigade Brings Paris Market Blaze Under ControlWeil confirmed the damage in a post on X on Monday morning. Fire brought under control but market totally devastated. Avoid the area around Rue de Bretagne, Weil said. Nine hoses, including two high-powered ones, were required to bring the disaster under control, according to Brigade des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris, the city's primary fire and rescue service.Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire praised the response effort in a post on X. 150 firefighters were mobilized tonight, Grégoire wrote. I want to express my full gratitude to them. The market was founded in 1615 during the reign of King Louis XIII. A popular destination for both tourists and locals, it drew people from all over the world, according to the city's website.Its name translates directly to Market of the Red Children, a moniker that came from a nearby orphanage, the Hospice des Enfants Rouges, where the children usually wore red, according to the city's website. The market was designated a historic monument in 1982. It was threatened with demolition in the 1990s when Mayor Jacques Chirac signed off on plans to replace it with a parking lot, a daycare facility and a community center, the Guardian reported.Market Shifted To Culinary Focus In Early 2000sAlthough the market was not always food-oriented, it shifted in the early 2000s to center around culinary vendors. Those vendors included butchers, cheesemakers, fishmongers and a variety of cuisines. The loss of the market represents the destruction of a piece of local history that had served Paris for more than four centuries. The full extent of the damage and the cause of the fire remain under investigation.