Clément Bargain, edited by Gauthier Delomez 7:51 p.m., January 24, 2023

After interrupting rail traffic from the Gare de l'Est in Paris, due to a fire on electric cables, the SNCF denounced Tuesday an "act of sabotage" and communicated its intention to file a complaint.

For the moment, it is impossible to know the name of the author of this fire, which disturbed many travelers.

The SNCF denounces "an act of sabotage".

On Tuesday morning, rail traffic departing from the Gare de l'Est in Paris was interrupted due to an "arson on electric cables" from a signal box in Seine-et-Marne, explained the company, which suspended traffic all day.

On Wednesday, only one in three TGVs will run during rush hour, and one in two Transilien on line P.

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According to the ongoing investigation, two electrical boxes located about ten meters from each other were set on fire around 3 a.m.

According to SNCF Réseau, these are cables necessary for power supply and signaling which have been damaged.

The author of the facts and his motives unknown at the moment

"It is an act of sabotage on cables which include safety circuits", explains Olivier Bancel, number 2 of SNCF Réseau.

"There were around fifty cables that were damaged, and they were set on fire," he explains, stressing that this concerned around 600 safety circuits.

"We have to take them back one by one," he adds, giving an idea of ​​the extent of the repairs now to be carried out.

For the moment, the name of the perpetrator is not known, nor even his motives.

The SNCF filed a complaint, and the Meaux prosecutor's office opened an investigation on Tuesday.

Trains diverted to other Parisian stations

On the traveler side, however, impatience is now in order.

A long queue formed in front of the ticket office of the railway company, with passengers lost, even distraught.

While some trains have been cancelled, others have been diverted to Gare du Nord or Gare de Lyon.

"The situation is very tough," admits this flight attendant.

"I go back and forth between Paris and Nancy, and this (Tuesday) evening I have no trains to return", she breathes at the microphone of Europe 1.

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"It's a little annoying, I made an appointment at a hospital, I had to cancel", regrets another traveler.

"I lost a day, but that's not life either!" She puts it into perspective.

Rail traffic will remain largely disrupted on Wednesday.