Notre Dame blaze fully extinguished, experts say landmark’s age and design fuelled fire and narrow streets nearby foiled firefighters
- Authorities are analysing their response to the fire that tore through the more than 850-year-old cathedral
Now, experts are consider if there was anything firefighters could have done to control the blaze that tore through the historic landmark sooner.
Experts say the combination of a structure that is more than 850 years old, built with heavy timber and full of soaring open spaces, and lacking sophisticated fire-protection systems led to the quick rise of flames on Monday, which jeopardised the entire cathedral before firefighters brought the blaze under control.
“Very often when you’re confronted with something like this, there’s not much you can do,” said Glenn Corbett, a professor of fire science at John Jay College.
Hosepipes looked overmatched as flames raged across the cathedral’s wooden roof and burned bright orange for hours. The fire toppled a 91-metre (300-foot) spire and launched tennis ball-sized embers into the air.
While the cause is under investigation, authorities said the cathedral’s structure – including its landmark rectangular towers – has been saved.