A ‘massive arson attack’ on France‘ s rail network brought chaos to the start of the Paris Olympics today.

WHAT IS THE SITUATION?

With just hours to go before the opening ceremony on the River Seine, fires were started at key installations, bringing trains to a halt and affecting around 800,00 passengers. 

The Gare du Nord – the main Eurostar station in Paris – was hit by the attacks on the rail network, said a spokesman for SNCF, France’s rail operator. 

This caused the cancellation of multiple services, including ones meant to be bringing sports fans into the French capital. 

‘Numerous stations are affected, including Garde du Nord, with services across France cancelled or delayed,’ he said.

They were focused on the TGV high speed train network which covers the whole of France, and which is particularly busy at this time of year.

Beyond the Olympics, Mr Vergriete said the ‘criminal actions will compromise the holiday departures of many French people.’

The first blaze was detected early on Friday morning near tracks at Courtalain, in the Eure-et-Loir department.

It caused the interruption of traffic on the hugely busy Atlantique high-speed line.

SNCF also referred to a ‘malicious act’ on the high-speed line between Lille and Paris, in the northern Arras sector.

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WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW?

Criminal investigations will be opened into the attacks, but there was no initial theory as to who was behind them.

Olympic organisers have long feared acts of sabotage tagetting the multi-billion pounds games, and a vast security operation costing £350million has unfolded in Paris to try and counter threats.