Notre-Dame Cathedral, the intricately carved gothic church that has been standing in the heart of central Paris for more than 850 years, is on fire.
The Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, symbol of European culture, has suffered a fire on Monday that has knocked down the needle and destroyed two thirds of the vaults and roofs.
The firemen, who already at night assured that the structure was "safe and preserved", announced today that the fire was "extinguished". "There may be residual foci," said the body's spokesman.
The cause of the flames was an accident in the works of restoration of the needle, according to the first investigations. The Secretary of State of Interior of the French Government, Laurent Nuñez, has visited the building today and has declared that the rescue of the cathedral decided in just 30 minutes.
The Paris Prosecutor's Office has assured this noon that there is no indication that the fire was intentional. The Paris prosecutor, Rémi Heitz, has said that in this "long and complex" investigation they have already begun the interrogation of 15 workers who were inside the building at the time the fire started.
The president, Emmanuel Macron, has promised the reconstruction of the temple and a collection of funds. According to the French Minister of Culture, Franck Riester, "it still takes a few hours to know the damage to the structure." At 18.50, the bells of all the churches in France will ring in memory of Notre Dame.
