Fire has destroyed two thirds of the roof of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, yet the French firefighters remain cautiously optimistic that they may have managed to save its two towers from collapsing.

“We can consider that the two towers of Notre-Dame are saved,” commander of the Brigade of firefighters in Paris, Jean-Claude Gallet, told reporters.

“We can think that the structure is saved,” said Laurent Nuñez, Secretary of State to the Minister of the Interior. “We are much more optimistic than earlier, but we must remain cautious.”

Earlier firefighters expressed doubts the devastating fire at the Notre Dame cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris) can be stopped and have not ruled out further collapse of the iconic landmark.

“We’re not sure we can stop the fire spreading into the northern bell tower – and you can imagine the damage if it collapses,” said Jean-Claude Gallet, the commander of the Paris firefighters. Over 400 people are combating the blaze.

The next hour and a half will determine the fate of the 13th-century cathedral, French firefighters have said.

Earlier, the firefighters ruled out the possibility of using aerial support in fighting the devastating blaze.

“Helicopter or plane, the weight of the water and the intensity of dropping it at low altitude could weaken the structure of Notre-Dame and cause collateral damage to surrounding buildings,” the French Civil Security tweeted.

A firefighter at the scene told Reuters that the main focus of the emergency workers is on saving work of arts from the back of the cathedral, as well as preventing the northern – left from the entrance – bell tower from collapsing.

Fire has spread to the left rectangular tower of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been ravaged by a massive blaze. The historic building has had its spire and roof completely collapse.

LATEST: Notre Dame towers ‘saved’ from the blaze, French firefighters hope

Smoke can be seen billowing from the left rectangular tower of the cathedral, prompting fears that the blaze has actually spread to the few parts of the 13th-century building left untouched by the fire.

The towers are the oldest part of the cathedral, which has lived through several renovations and received ‘new’ additions in the 17th and 18th centuries. The towers house the bells of the cathedral. Its largest bell is actually the namesake of the incumbent French president and goes by the name of ‘Emmanuel’.

The firefighters, who are still struggling to contain the fire, said they are reluctant to call in aerial support, such as firefighting helicopters. A massive haul of water, poured on the ancient structure, might collapse the entire building.

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Paris’ most visited tourist attraction – the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral – caught fire Monday afternoon. By nightfall the 850 year-old jewel of Gothic architecture turned into blazing inferno.

The fire broke out at Notre-Dame around 18:50 local time (16:50 GMT), according to a member of the cathedral’s administrative staff. Huge plumes of thick smoke were seen billowing over rooftop of the 35-meter tall building. The exact place where the blaze started is unknown so far, although initial reports placed it amid the restoration scaffolding on the roof, near the spire. 

Over 400 firefighters were called to fight the inferno. They rushed to the scene and tried to contain the blaze with water hoses, yet their efforts were in vain as the flames continued to march across the roof.
Authorities evacuated all buildings near the iconic landmark located on the Ile de la Cite – an island in the River Seine, marking the ancient heart of Paris. Meanwhile, huge crowds of people froze throughout the area, mesmerized and shocked by the fire.

In less than an hour, large spurts of flame were bursting through the roof near the spire of the cathedral. In mere minutes the wooden structure was engulfed in flames while the fire continued to rage across the roof.

A large part of the roof between the spire and the bell towers collapsed and the spire soon followed, crashing down into the burning abyss that was the interior of the cathedral.

The spire, made of wood and covered with lead, was built during Notre Dame’s restoration in the 19th century. It was by weather and time in many places, and renovation work was underway to shore it up.
French President Emmanuel Macron cancelled his scheduled address to the nation because of what he called a “terrible fire” less than an hour after the blaze broke out. “I am sad tonight to see this part of us burn,” he tweeted as the church’s spire and the roof went down.

Cathedral spokesman, Andre Finot, said that the entire wooden interior of the 12th century landmark was burning and would be destroyed. “Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame.”

The cathedral was home to numerous pieces of art as well as some Christian relics, such as what is believed to be a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified, as well as the Crown of Thorns he wore. Both relics, obtained from the Byzantine Empire back in the 13th century, were reported safe.
Deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic event, many French residents were seen praying and singing hymns right on the streets leading to the banks of the Seine River not far from the Notre-Dame. Some people were kneeling in the streets.

“Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,” a witness, Jacek Poltorak, who watched the fire from a fifth-floor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of the cathedral, told Reuters.

“Everything is collapsing,” a police officer near the scene said.

“The Holy See has seen with shock and sadness the news of the terrible fire that has devastated the Cathedral of Notre Dame, symbol of Christianity in France and in the world,” the Vatican said. Meanwhile, condolences from the foreign leaders started to pour in.

While the firefighters desperately sought to contain the fast-moving fire, they ruled out the use of flying water tankers to extinguish the flames, saying that it could lead to the entire structure collapsing.

“Helicopter or plane, the weight of the water and the intensity of dropping it at low altitude could weaken the structure of Notre-Dame and cause collateral damage to surrounding buildings,” the French Civil Security Service said in a tweet.

Some two hours after the start of the fire, flames were seen inside one of the bell towers of Notre-Dame. As the dusk fell upon Paris, the 12th-century cathedral was still burning, with the spurts of fire still raging above its walls, illuminating the towers with the dark orange light and casting an eerie glow through its stained-glass windows.

Nearly three hours after the fire started, a Fire Department spokesman said the next 90 minutes would be crucial in seeing if the blaze could be contained. Later, the Paris Fire Chief, Jean-Claude Gallet admitted that he was “not sure we are capable of stopping the spreading” of fire to Notre-Dame’s second tower and belfry. At the same time, the firefighters reported that were trying to do their best to save the northern tower, which had caught fire.

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French President Emmanuel Macron has extended his sympathies to all Catholics and all citizens of France as “part of us burns,” referring to the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris) in central Paris.

“Our Lady of Paris is in flames,” the president tweeted on Monday evening, as the church’s spire and roof collapsed. “My thoughts are with all the Catholics and all the French. Like all our compatriots, I am sad tonight to see this part of us burn.”

Built starting in the 12th century, the Gothic architecture jewel was undergoing repairs. The scaffolding around the roof and the spire of the church caught fire on Monday, and firefighters have struggled to contain the blaze.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

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The world watched in horror as Paris’ historic Notre Dame Cathedral erupted in flames Monday. It was the second fire to hit a historic French Catholic church in under a month.

Editor’s note: The initial version of this article contained information about vandalism in French churches. The author believed it necessary to include it to point out the troubles that have recently plagued the Catholic churches of France. The text stressed that vandalism had nothing to do with the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. Upon review, we believe that although the article was factually correct, some readers may have found it insensitive. That was not what RT was aiming for. Like the rest of the world, we grieve for the partial loss of the architectural masterpiece that is Notre Dame.

While Notre Dame is undoubtedly the most well-known landmark to be affected, Paris’ second largest church, Saint-Sulpice, briefly burst into flames on March 17. The fire damaged the church’s doors and stained glass windows on the building’s exterior, but firefighters managed to bring it under control before anybody was hurt.

The fire that hit Saint-Sulpice reportedly started in a pile of clothes left outside the cathedral, before climbing up the door and to the stained glass. The clothes are believed to have been left there by a homeless person. Police said the fire was “not accidental,” but the pastor of Saint-Sulpice argued it was not an anti-religious attack.

Unlike in the Notre Dame fire, the damage to Saint-Sulpice was relatively minor. The church, founded in the 17th century, houses three paintings by 19th century Romantic artist Eugene Delacroix, none of which were damaged.

Fortunately, many of the relics in Notre Dame escaped the fire unscathed. The ancient Crown of Thorns and the tunic of St. Louis were transported safely to the Paris City Hall. The cathedral frame itself also remained intact, though its roof and spire collapsed.

Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, which caught fire on Monday, had reached a “tipping point” and required an expensive makeover after deteriorating for years, experts had previously warned.

The iconic Paris landmark was hit with a major fire just days after the new restoration work had begun on the building. The fire caused the collapse of the church’s famous spire, which was made of wood and covered with lead. Parts of the roof of the building also collapsed as the fire continued to ravage the Gothic structure.

The peak of the church had been undergoing a major €6 million renovation — and the fire is thought to be linked to the revamp, French media reported, quoting the Paris fire brigade.

Structural problems have plagued the old building for years, including dangerously eroded stone, broken gargoyles and fallen balustrades, André Finot, the cathedral’s spokesperson, told the New York Times in 2017. Finot told the newspaper the situation was “spinning out of control.”

Despite the deterioration, tourists still flocked to the famous landmark, unaware of just how desperately a major makeover was needed.

The Friends of Notre Dame foundation has even been seeking to raise a massive €150 million ($180 million) from French citizens and Francophiles in the US to help foot the bill for a major facelift. The French government itself allocates about €2 million each year for upkeep of the building.

While experts said that the cathedral was not at risk of sudden collapse, many will now be fearing the worst, as parts have already collapsed.

Notre Dame, built in the 12th and 13th centuries, has seen more than one overhaul in its time, with one of the most major happening between 1844 and 1864 when its spire and flying buttresses were revamped.

“When you look at [the cathedral] from the front, there is no problem,” Friends of Notre-Dame head Michel Picaud told the Times. “But when you go behind the scenes, that’s when things start to go downhill.”

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The massive fire that had erupted at the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is a great tragedy for all Christians and those who value the cultural meaning of the ancient building, the Russian Orthodox Church has said.

The fire erupted at the one of the most well-known Paris landmarks late on Monday. It quickly engulfed the building, causing its spire and most of the roof to completely collapse. The fire is still raging, yet the firefighters express hopes the main structure of the cathedral will remain standing.

The blaze at the cathedral has caused a “great sorrow” within the Orthodox Church, said hieromonk Stephan, spokesman of the Moscow Patriarchate.

“It’s certainly a tragedy for all the Christians and everyone who values the cultural meaning of the cathedral,” the hieromonk told Sputnik. “Yet besides the cultural value, we must remember that the Crown of Thorns, the greatest relic for all the Christians, is kept there. We pray that it will stay safe and that God won’t allow human deaths amid this terrible event.”

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World leaders have been reacting with horror to the devastating fire which has ravaged Paris’ iconic Notre Dame cathedral and caused part of the 800-year-old beloved Gothic structure to collapse.

The building, one of the most important for Christians worldwide, and a major part of France’s cultural heritage, was heavily damaged by the quick-spreading fire on Monday. The fate of the iconic structure is hanging in the balance as firefighters have warned that they are “not sure” whether the fire can be contained.

The spire and roof of the landmark church have already crumbled after being engulfed in the flames, which quickly spread to one of the rectangular towers of the historic building as tourists and Parisians looked on in dismay.

US President Donald Trump, reacting on Twitter, said it was “horrible to watch” the church burn and suggested that “flying water tankers” could be used to put it out. First Lady Melania Trump also offered sympathies, saying her “heart breaks” for the people of France.

The fire is a “catastrophe” for France and all of Europe, the flames ravaging “850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture,” tweeted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted that her thoughts “are with the people of France” and the emergency services still fighting the “terrible blaze,” while German chancellor Angela Merkel said through a spokesperson that she was “deeply saddened” by the fire and was thinking of “our French friends.”

In a statement, the Vatican said the fire had caused “shock and sadness” and that it was praying for the firefighters. “We express our closeness to French Catholics and the population of Paris and we ensure them of our prayers,” Vatican spokesperson Alessandro Gisotti said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pence also tweeted to say it was “heartbreaking to see a house of God in flames” and offered prayers for firefighters and the people of Paris, while former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, said the cathedral was “a symbol of our ability as human beings to unite for a higher purpose.”

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said his country was ready to help their neighbors and send his condolences over the “terrifying fire” at the cathedral.

The blaze at the cathedral has caused a “great sorrow” within the Orthodox Church, spokesman of the Moscow Patriarchate, Hieromonk Stephan told RIA Novosti.
“It’s certainly a tragedy for all the Christians and everyone who values the cultural meaning of the cathedral,” he said. “Yet besides the cultural value, we must remember that the Crown of Thorns, the greatest relic for all Christians, is kept there. We pray that it will stay safe and that God won’t allow human deaths amid this terrible event.”

The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, but so far it is thought to be related to recently begun renovations on the structure which was in major need of repairs. Restoration following the fire could take at least ten years, a curators’ representative said.

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Shocked by the roaring blaze that devastated one of France’s iconic landmarks, people have been singing hymns and praying not far from the site where firefighters are still trying to contain the fire consuming the building.

Photos and videos on social media show many French people praying in desperate hope that the cathedral, which has seen its entire roof collapse as a result of the blaze, could still be saved, at least partially.

Some people were seen on their knees on the streets leading to the banks of the River Seine, from where one could see the site of the tragic event. They were praying and singing hymns in chorus.

Others were seen crying or just standing in shock as they apparently could not believe what they were seeing was really happening.

People from all over the world conveyed their condolences to France and the French on social media, adding that their “hearts were broken.”

The Gothic architecture jewel almost completely burned out in about three hours. The cause of the blaze remains unknown.

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