Cannes Power Cut: Arson Suspected – 200,000 Homes Affected
- The Cannes Film Festival faced potential disruption when power outages struck southern France.
- Authorities suspect arson as the cause, following a fire at an electrical substation near Cannes.
- Later, anarchist groups claimed responsibility for the power outage.
Southern France plunged into darkness as a power outage, suspected to be arson, affected over 200,000 homes, and disrupted the Cannes Film Festival. anarchist groups have proudly claimed responsibility for the electrical sabotage, citing the destruction of a key substation and a high-voltage power line. The incident, which occurred on the eve of the festival’s closing ceremony, caused significant disruption, including traffic delays and brief suspensions at satellite venues. Authorities are actively investigating the incident, condemning the deliberate damage to critical infrastructure and vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. Despite these challenges, festival events continued largely uninterrupted, thanks to backup power. News Directory 3 is following the story closely. Discover what’s next as the investigation unfolds.
Anarchists Claim responsibility for Cannes Film Festival Power Outage
The Cannes Film Festival faced potential disruption when power outages struck southern France. Over 200,000 homes were temporarily without electricity, including 160,000 in the Alpes-Maritimes area. The incident occured saturday morning, but power was fully restored by 3 p.m. local time, before the festival’s closing ceremony.
Authorities suspect arson as the cause, following a fire at an electrical substation near Cannes. The blaze resulted in a high-voltage power line collapsing. Laurent Hottiaux, the area’s prefect, condemned the “serious acts of damage to electrical infrastructures” and pledged to pursue the perpetrators.
Later, anarchist groups claimed responsibility for the power outage. In an anonymous statement reported by local outlet BFM,the groups stated they sabotaged the main electrical substation supplying the Cannes metropolitan area and cut down the 225 kV line coming from Nice.The act was timed on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival awards ceremony.
While some events were affected early Saturday, the Palais des Festivals, the festival’s main venue, switched to an independent power supply. Organizers confirmed that all scheduled events, including the closing ceremony, proceeded as planned.
Train services and some traffic lights were disrupted, causing traffic jams. Screenings at the Cineum, a satellite venue, were briefly suspended.
Nice and neighboring towns also experienced power outages, affecting approximately 45,000 homes. Power was restored Sunday morning. Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, attributed the outage to “malicious acts” and ordered increased police protection for sensitive electrical infrastructure. According to Deputy Mayor Gaël Nofri, firefighters reported a forced entry at a transformer access door. The city’s airport and tram network experienced disruptions.
What’s next
Investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the sabotage. Authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage to electrical infrastructure and implementing measures to prevent future incidents. The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the potential for disruption during major events like the Cannes Film Festival.