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Claim: A Threads post by @blackriverfilmfestival claims that an image showing the Eiffel Tower engulfed in flames is real, stating: “This isn’t a scene from a movie; this is the Eiffel Tower in Paris.”
Verdict: False. The image is AI-generated and does not show the Eiffel Tower burning. DUBAWA tested the image with four AI detection tools, all of which returned scores above 90%, indicating likely AI-generated or manipulated content. A review of the Eiffel Tower’s live webcam feed also showed the landmark standing intact, with no visible signs of the destruction depicted in the image.
Full Text
“This isn’t a scene from a movie; this is the Eiffel Tower in Paris.”
The post, shared by @blackriverfilmfestival on Threads, features a dramatic image of the Eiffel Tower surrounded by intense flames and thick black smoke. Similar posts were also made here and here.
When DUBAWA captured the claim, the post had received 1,800 likes, 326 comments, 185 reposts and 1,600 shares.
Because it could mislead, DUBAWA decided to investigate.
Verification
DUBAWA subjected the image to four AI detection tools: Hive Detect, DeepAI, Image Detector and Faux Lens. All four returned scores above 90%, indicating a high likelihood that the image was AI-generated or digitally manipulated.
Photo: Image analysis of the photo used by the claimant using the Faux Lens AI tool
Photo: Image analysis of the photo used by the claimant using the Image Detector AI tool
Photo: Image analysis of the photo used by the claimant using the Deep AI tool
Photo: Image analysis of the photo used by the claimant using the Hive Detect AI tool
DUBAWA also examined the live webcam coverage of the Eiffel Tower provided by SkylineWebcams. The available live view shows the landmark standing intact, with no visible signs of the massive fire or structural destruction depicted in the viral image. This observation contradicts the impression the Threads post creates.
The Eiffel Tower’s official website also continues to provide visitor information and access details for the monument. No official information indicates its destruction or closure to the public as a result of the event. Together with the live webcam observation and the results of DUBAWA’s image analysis, the available evidence does not support the claim that the tower is burning or destroyed.
The image’s dramatic presentation may encourage users to interpret it as evidence of a real disaster, particularly amid reports of unrest and other developments in France. While the post’s motive cannot be established from the image alone, sharing such fabricated visuals as authentic can mislead audiences and exaggerate perceptions of events on the ground.
Conclusion
The claim is false. DUBAWA’s analysis using four AI detection tools and its review of the SkylineWebcams feed, indicate that the viral image does not depict a real fire at the Eiffel Tower. The landmark remains intact, and the post provides no credible evidence of the destruction it portrays.