Charles de Gaulle

Paris Charles de Gaulle terminal evacuated due to snow on roof

Around 2,000 people were evacuated from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport because of snow on the roof of a terminal.

Emergency workers were deployed to clear around two feet of snow from the roof, a section of which had collapsed just weeks after the building's opening in 2004.

aviation authorities had already announced earlier on Friday morning the cancellation of half of flights into and out of Charles-de-Gaulle airport until 1:00 pm (midday UK) because of freezing winter conditions.

A few weeks after terminal 2E was opened in 2004, a section of the roof of the architecturally-ambitious building designed by Frenchman Paul Andreu collapsed, killing four foreign travellers and injuring six others.

The airport exacuation will add to existing delays that forced 2,000 passengers to stay overnight at the airport on Thursday.

The problems caused by the freezing weather have been compounded by a shortage of glycol, the liquid used to de-ice aircraft.