Paris Metro train fire

On the evening of August 10, 1903, the Paris Metro became the site of a disaster that reshaped underground transit safety worldwide. A short circuit on a wooden train caused a fire that spread rapidly, trapping passengers in a thick, toxic fog beneath the streets. As the flames reached the overhead electric cables, the station lights fused, plunging the tunnels into total darkness. In the confusion, many passengers were unable to find the exits and succumbed to smoke inhalation before they could reach the surface. This catastrophe claimed 84 lives, primarily at the Couronnes station, and forced the immediate removal of wooden trains from the network in favor of fire-resistant materials and improved emergency lighting.