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Midnight fireworks provoke terror fears
Paris residents voice anger over four-minute pyrotechnic display at foot of Eiffel Tower for TV series
A midnight fireworks display near the Eiffel Tower was mistaken for a terror attack by some Paris residents.
The pyrotechnics at Place Jacques-Rueff, in Champ-de-Mars, were set off during the filming of an episode of Netflix's popular science-fiction series Sense8 - but while those living nearby had been made aware of the event, residents further afield were terrified by what sounded like gunfire and explosions.
OMG @sense8 shooting the finale at the Eiffel Tower ❤️ #Paris #Sense8 #Sense8AParis #Sense8InParis #Sense8Paris #fireworks #party pic.twitter.com/3YYHgxJcBy
— Alex (@AlexDury) October 22, 2017
The film company, which is produced by film-makers Lana and Lilly Wachowski who were behind The Matrix films, had City Hall's permission for the pyrotechnics - and had erected a security fence around the area - but the fireworks could been seen and heard from up to 13km away.
Tournage du final de la série #Sense8 à #Paris avec un feu d'artifice un dimanche à minuit pic.twitter.com/IjjwsdJQph
— FloW (@FlowLyon) October 22, 2017
The four-minute event prompted many to take to social media in concern.
Suis à 13km de #paris et jai entendu des bruits d explosions avant dapprendre que cetait un feu d artifice...flippant.
— Klem (@Nigoude) October 22, 2017
Hésitez pas la prochaine fois @Paris à prévenir pour le feu d’artifice qu’on ne pense pas que la ville est attaquée à nouveau, merci
— Matteu Maestracci (@MMaestracci) October 22, 2017