Damage assessed after Notre-Dame fire
Millions of euro have already been pledged towards rebuilding the iconic Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris after a fire ravaged the historic building last night.
Experts in Paris are assessing the damage to the 13th century landmark this morning after a fire destroyed two thirds of its roof and its spire on Monday evening.
Nearly 400 firefighters tackled the blaze for more than nine hours to fully extinguish the blaze, the Paris Fire Brigade said on Twitter this morning.
While two thirds of the cathedral’s timber roof and the spire collapsed during the fire, firefighters said they had succeeded in saving the main structure of the building, considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.
Two members of the police and a firefighter received minor injuries, but there are not currently any casualties as a result of the fire.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but the cathedral had been undergoing extensive renovation work, which firefighters speculated could be linked to the blaze.
Several high-profile businessmen in France have already pledged to help finance the restoration of the cathedral. Businessman Francois-Henri Pinault and his billionaire father Francois Pinault said they were immediately giving €100 million from their company Artemis to help finance repairs, while business magnate Bernard Arnault and his luxury goods group LVMH have pledged €200 million.
French President Emmanuel Macron cancelled a major planned address on Monday evening in response to the blaze. He said the cathedral would be built, calling it “a part of our destiny in France”.
Speaking on social media last night, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo said she had “no words strong enough to express the pain she felt”. “Tonight, all Parisians and French citizens mourn this emblem of our shared history.”
Ms Hidalgo said Paris’ city hall had been made available to store some of the artwork and antiques rescued in the fire, including a crown of thorns believed by some to be the one Jesus wore prior to his crucifixion, and the tunic of Saint-Louis.
These two relics, plus the bronze statues of the twelve apostles, which had been removed from the spire days before the fire for renovations, are known to have been saved from the fire.