On the evening of March 22, fire broke out behind the France pavilion at EPCOT, with large plumes of smoke rising above.
Shortly after 7:00 p.m., we received reports from inside the park that heavy, dark smoke was coming from the area around the France pavilion. The pavilion’s restaurants were evacuated.
The photo above was taken from the pavilion shortly after the smoke began to rise and evacuations began. The fire was reportedly extinguished quickly but the smoke persisted. Guests inside the park reported hearing the sirens from fire engines.
More photos from Billy Bob on X show the smoke from multiple angles around World Showcase.
At first, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure was still operating as usual according to the My Disney Experiences app. It closed shortly thereafter. Around 8:25 p.m., Cast Members began letting guests back into the queue. They were telling guests the ride had experienced a technical difficulty.
The video above was taken within EPCOT and depicts the billowing smoke above the France pavilion.
More photos from within the park confirmed fire. In a photo courtesy of X user Brian, flames are clearly visible near the France pavilion’s restaurants.
According to representatives from Disney, the fire was in a walk-in cooler behind the building and has been extinguished. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was not stated.
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