A devastating fire has devastated the world-famous Paris Cathedral Notre-Dame. For hours, flames flamed brightly from the roof of the landmark of the French capital. At times, a huge column of smoke could be seen above the monumental religious building. The small pinnacle in the middle of the roof collapsed. From the two great towers of the cathedral came black smoke. The fire is still not under control.
The fire had meanwhile reached one of the two main towers. The Paris Fire Department seems to have saved him. „One can assume that the structure of Notre-Dame is saved and preserved in its entirety,“ said Fire Chief Jean-Claude Gallet. Previously, the fire brigade was at times „not sure“ whether it can stop the spread of the fire.
According to the Interior Ministry, the fire brigade is on site with a large number of people. Around 400 firefighters try to stem the fire. The police said some firefighters fight in the building against the flames, others from outside.
Around 250 tons of lead melted
ARD correspondent Mathias Werth reports that a large part of the nave has collapsed. Around 250 tons of lead had been built there, which were now melted and would thus generate an enormous additional heat. The firefighters had therefore had great problems approaching the source of the fire. „The firefighters work hard there,“ says Werth.
A representative of the Ministry of the Interior said that one is now more confident than a few hours ago. The intensity of the fire has diminished. It will take a few hours until the fire is contained. Given the scale of the flames, he called for „extreme caution.“
Art treasures threatened
The flames spread rapidly in the roof in the evening and seized the pinnacle early in the middle of the ridge. He collapsed shortly afterwards, soon followed by the whole roof. The majority of the rear cultivation is already burned down. Church spokesman André Finot said the entire wooden interior would probably be a robbery of the flames. The vault was also in danger. Many residents of Paris watched as the fire ate through the structure. Many of them were speechless and had tears in their eyes.
The fire department is trying to bring works of art and precious objects from the church to safety. The works of art in the church are invaluable, many of them are firmly built. The building from the Middle Ages have suffered tremendous damage, said Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire the transmitter BMFTV. Mayor Anne Hidalgo assured on the ground that everything was going to be done to rebuild Notre-Dame as soon as possible.
Renovation works as a possible cause
The fire just before Easter could be related to renovations, reports the French news agency AFP, citing the fire department. It broke out in the attic and was discovered around 6.50 pm. A scaffolding was installed on the roof of the cathedral.
Weather and air pollution had severely damaged the monument over the years. In many places, the fabric of the building crumbled – and the maintenance budget provided by the state was not enough for a comprehensive renovation. Therefore, some time ago, a fundraiser was launched to finance the repair.
Environment sealed off
Notre Dame is located in the heart of the city on the Seine Island Île de la Cité, which was sealed off by the security forces because of the fire, as the city of Paris announced on Twitter. An event hall was opened to accommodate residents.
The cathedral is one of Paris’s top tourist attractions and is visited by millions every year. For many meters, the tourists queue every day in front of the building. It has been guarded by soldiers since the Islamist terrorist attacks of recent years.
The history of Notre-Dame dates back to the middle of the 12th century. Almost 200 years passed until completion. The dimensions of the gothic-style church, consecrated to the Virgin Mary, with its two majestic towers, are enormous: the cathedral is 127 meters long, 40 meters wide and up to 33 meters high.
