According to authorities, the smoke was a "technical incident" involving a truck with fireworks. Within an hour, the fire was reportedly extinguished without serious damage or casualties.
— RT (@RT_com) July 14, 2016
— Alexis THIEBAUT (@alexisthiebaut) July 14, 2016
The reports follow a mass casualty incident in Nice, France in which a truck drove through a crowd of pedestrians gathered to celebrate Bastille Day. Horrifying videos captured the moment that the truck rushed toward the crowd and a subsequent shootout between the driver and police.
Authorities have launched a terrorism investigation into the incident.
Facebook activated its "safety check" feature for the city, and social media has responded with an outpouring of sympathies.