Moulin Rouge: The renowned cabaret venue in Paris had its sails taken off overnight

Moulin Rouge: The renowned cabaret venue in Paris had its sails taken off overnight

Its sails are missing from the windmill atop the renowned Moulin Rouge cabaret venue in Paris.

Early in the morning, the blades dropped into the street below. It's unclear what caused the collapse.

There were no injuries, according to the police. The "Moulin Rouge" sign's first three letters have also come off.

Known as the origin of the can-can dance, the club has been a mainstay of Parisian nightlife since its inauguration in 1889.

Only a few months remain until the French capital plays home to the Olympics.

Initially, pictures posted on social media showed the sails on the street below, some of the blades slightly twisted from what seemed to be a fall.

Since then, the construction has been safely covered by green tarpaulin and fastened to the cabaret's façade.

Firefighters in Paris said that there was no chance of another collapse.

The Moulin Rouge official told the AFP news agency that the cabaret's technical personnel examine the windmill mechanism every week and have not seen any issues, even though it was not an exceptionally windy night.

The cabaret's director, Jean-Victor Clerico, said that "foul play" was not apparent and that "obviously a technical problem" was the reason.

The only significant mishap the monument has had is a fire that broke out in 1915 while construction was underway, resulting in the destruction of the original Moulin Rouge.

Located in the Pigalle region of northern Paris, the cabaret is a popular tourist destination because to its unique red windmill blades. Situated at the base of the Montmartre hill, it first opened its doors in October 1889.

It soon came to be associated with wild evenings in Paris, and for many visitors, seeing its façade or taking in a performance inside is a must-do activity when visiting the French city.

Some Parisians arrived to see the events on Thursday morning.

"Paris without its windmill is like Paris without its Eiffel Tower," said André Duval, a local and former head waiter at the Moulin Rouge, in an interview with the journal Le Parisien in the 1980s.

The fact that there had been no casualties was more important to residents like Raphaël, who described the sight of the windmill without sails as "quite disturbing."

October 6th marks the cabaret's 135th anniversary celebration.