French police were investigating a potential arson attack as the primary cause for a power outage that affected the Alpes-Maritimes region in southern France on Saturday. The disruption impacted Cannes, which is currently hosting its globally renowned annual film festival.
“We are looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately,” stated a spokesperson for the French national gendarmerie, confirming that no arrests had been made at this stage of the inquiry.
Earlier on Saturday, the local authority for the Alpes-Maritimes region had announced that the western part of the area, encompassing Cannes, was experiencing a significant electricity outage, and that RTE France was actively working to restore power.
The Cannes Film Festival confirmed that its closing ceremony would proceed as scheduled on Saturday evening.
In a statement, the festival organizers said, “The Palais des Festivals has switched to an independent power supply, allowing all scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, to proceed as planned and under normal conditions.”
