Source:
https://scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3006295/terrible-fire-breaks-out-paris-historic-notre-dame-cathedral
World/ Europe

Firefighters save Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral after massive blaze guts roof, burns down spire

  • Main towers of the building saved after hours-long battle with flames, Paris fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet said
  • One firefighter injured, no civilian casualties reported
The spire of Notre Dame Cathedral collapses as the cathedral is engulfed in flames on Monday, April 15, 2019. Photo: AFP

The main structure of Paris’ famed Notre Dame Cathedral has been saved after hours of firefighting put out a devastating blaze, the city’s top fire official said on Monday.

“We can consider that the main structure of Notre Dame has been saved and preserved,” Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet told reporters outside the cathedral, adding it appeared that the two main towers of the building had now been saved.

The fire was said to be under control, a spokesman said.

A colossal blaze had swept through the centuries-old landmark, causing its spire to collapse – followed by the entire roof – and raising fears over the future of the building and its precious artworks.

The fire, which began in the early evening, sent flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky as stunned Parisians and tourists watched on in sheer horror.

“Paris is disfigured. The city will never be like it was before,” said Philippe, a communications worker in his mid-30s, who had biked over after being alerted of the fire by a friend.

“It’s a tragedy,” he added. “If you pray, now is the time to pray.”

A spokesman for the cathedral said that the wooden structure supporting the roof was gutted by the blaze.

The cause of the fire was not immediately confirmed but the 850-year-old cathedral had been undergoing intense restoration work to help the Gothic masterpiece better deal with the tests of time. The fire service said the incident could be “potentially linked” to the ongoing renovations.

Firefighters tried to contain the blaze with water hosepipes and cleared the area around Notre Dame, which sits on an island in the River Seine and marks the very centre of Paris. Buildings around were evacuated.

Junior interior minister Laurent Nunez said at the scene: “It’s too early to determine the causes of the fire.” France 2 television reported that police were treating it as an accident.

Nunez earlier said no one was hurt in the fire, but fire chief Gallet later confirmed that one firefighter was injured.

Police were attempting to clear pedestrians away from the area, but throngs of onlookers kept trying to approach, snarling traffic.

“It’s finished, we’ll never be able to see it again,” said Jerome Fautrey, a 37-year-old who had come to watch.

“Now we need to know how this happened – with everything that’s going on in the world, why Notre Dame? Maybe it’s a message from on high,” he said.

Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday, April 15, 2019. Photo: AFP
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday, April 15, 2019. Photo: AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed the “emotion of a whole nation” on seeing the famed Notre Dame cathedral ablaze.

“Notre Dame consumed by flames. Emotion of a whole nation,” Macron tweeted, adding that “like all my compatriots I am sad to see a part of us burn this evening” and expressing solidarity with “all Catholics and all French people”.

Macron, who cancelled a major policy speech to follow events, was on his way to the scene.

Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday, April 15, 2019. Photo: AFP
Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday, April 15, 2019. Photo: AFP

Germany lamented the devastation on Monday, with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office calling the cathedral a “symbol of France and of our European culture”.

“These horrible images of Notre Dame on fire are painful,” Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Twitter. “Notre Dame is a symbol of France and of our European culture. Our thoughts are with our French friends.”

“Heartbreaking scenes of Notre Dame cathedral in flames,” London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan Khan tweeted. “London stands in sorrow with Paris today, and in friendship always.”

Trump wrote on Twitter after the fire broke out Monday: “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris” and made suggestions for how first responders should tackle it.

He said: “Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out”, adding: “Must act quickly!”

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo in a tweet described it as a “terrible fire”.

The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and is famous for featuring in Victor Hugo’s classic novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, attracts millions of tourists every year.

Notre Dame was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding, while bronze statues were removed last week for works.

AFP and Reuters