Fire guts Paris’ Notre Dame but structure saved from destruction

Paris: A massive fire consumed Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday, gutting and destroying the roof of the Paris landmark and stunning France and the world, but firefighters said they had saved the shell of the stone structure from collapse.

Flames that began in the early evening burst rapidly through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which toppled, quickly followed by the entire roof.

As it burned into the evening, firefighters battled to prevent one of the main bell towers from collapsing. One firefighter was seriously injured – the only reported casualty.

“We now believe that the two towers of Notre Dame have been saved,” Paris fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet told reporters at the scene. “We now consider that the main structure of Notre Dame has been saved and preserved.”

There was still a risk that some of the interior structures could collapse, and firefighters would work overnight to cool them down, he said.

Distraught Parisians and stunned tourists gazed in disbelief as the inferno raged at the cathedral, which sits on the Ile de la Cite, an island in the River Seine and marks the very centre of Paris.

Thousands of onlookers lined bridges over Seine and along its embankments, held at a distance by a police cordon.

“Notre-Dame is our history, our literature, part of our psyche, the place of all our great events, our epidemics, our wars, our liberations, the epicentre of our lives,” President Emmanuel Macron told reporters in front of the still burning Paris landmark.

“Let’s be proud, because we built this cathedral more than 800 years ago, we’ve built it and, throughout the centuries, let it grow and improved it. So I solemnly say tonight: we will rebuild it together,” he said, announcing the launch of an fundraising campaign.

A huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area. People watching gasped as the spire folded over onto itself and fell into the inferno.

A centuries-old crown of thorns made from reeds and gold and the tunic worn by Saint Louis, a 13th century king of France, were saved, Notre Dame’s top administrative cleric, Monsignor Patrick Chauvet, said. But firefighters had struggled to take down some of the large paintings in time, he said.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had launched an inquiry into the fire. Several police sources said that they were working on the assumption for now that it was accidental.

“Everything is collapsing,” a police officer near the scene said as the cathedral continued to burn.

Macron, who cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give on Monday evening, went to the scene of the blaze and talked to officials trying to contain it.

The French Civil Security service, possibly responding to US President Donald Trump’s suggestion that firefighters “act quickly” and employ flying water tankers, said that was not an option as it might destroy the entire building.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the cathedral a “symbol of France and our European culture”. British Prime Minister Theresa May said her thoughts were with the French people and emergency services fighting the “terrible blaze”.

The Vatican 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 statement says the Vatican is praying for firefighters “and those who are doing everything possible to confront this dramatic situation” on Monday.

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, said at the scene that some of many artworks that were in the cathedral had been taken out and were being put in safe storage.

The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, features in Victor Hugo’s classic novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts millions of tourists every year.

It is a focal point for French Roman Catholics who like Christians around the world are celebrating Holy Week, marking the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The archbishop of Paris called on all priests in Paris to ring church bells as a gesture of solidarity for Notre Dame.

“I have a lot of friends who live abroad and every time they come I tell them to go to Notre Dame,” said witness Samantha Silva, with tears in her eyes.

“I’ve visited it so many times, but it will never be the same. It’s a real symbol of Paris.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said he was praying “to ask the intercession of Notre Dame, our Lady, for the Cathedral at the heart of Paris, and of civilisation, now in flames! God preserve this splendid house of prayer, and protect those battling the blaze”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison expressed concern for the fire and predicted it would be rebuilt.

Eyewitnesses watched in shock as the blaze consumed the cathedral.

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

Donia Hammami, a trade expert in Paris, ran to the scene from her gym nearby when she saw the reports. She was in tears in the crowd, watching the cathedral burn.

“For me, this has been an inspiration for so many other churches in Europe from the 14th century onward, in the way it came up with … a way to mirror more light,” Hammami said. “It’s been here for all those ages. This is a historic moment for all of us in the worst possible sense of the term.”

Australia’s ambassador to France, Brendan Berne, tweeted: “Our hearts go out to our French friends in the face of this terrible tragedy. Notre Dame belongs to all who love France – we are with you.”

The fire alarm had gone off around 6.30pm local time, according to André Finot, a spokesman for the cathedral.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the fire. France 2 television reported that police were treating the incident as an accident.

Firefighters cleared the area around the cathedral and nearby buildings were evacuated as firefighters tried to contain the blaze from the ground as well as from cranes.

The Gothic cathedral is famed for its many carved stone gargoyles, stunning stained glass windows and the flying buttresses that hold up its wall.

“There are a lot of art works inside … it’s a real tragedy,” Paris’ mayor Hidalgo told reporters at the scene.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was deeply saddened by the events in Paris. “Our thoughts are with our French friends.”

Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull tweeted that Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten should create a fund to help restore the iconic cathedral.

A centre of Roman Catholic faith, over the centuries Notre Dame has also been a target of political upheaval.

It was ransacked by rioting Protestant Huguenots in the 16th century, pillaged again during the French Revolution of the 1790s and left in a state of semi-neglect. Hugo’s 1831 work led to revived interest in the cathedral and a major – partly botched – restoration that began in 1844.

The wood-and-lead spire was built during that restoration, according to the cathedral’s website.

UNESCO said in a tweet it was “closely monitoring the situation and is standing by France’s side to safeguard and restore this invaluable heritage”.