A firefighter was seriously injured while tackling the blaze. A massive blaze at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris devastated large parts of the 850-year-old church. Paris prosecutor's office said it had opened an inquiry into "accidental destruction by fire". The flames spread to the cathedral's spire, sending it toppling to the ground. The Notre-Dame cathedral went up in flames in a roaring blaze that devastated the Parisian landmark French President Emmanuel Macron cancels his planned address to the nation in the wake of the "terrible" fire. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Officials say it could be linked to the renovation work that began after cracks appeared in the stone, sparking fears the structure could become unstable. Thursday, April 15, 2021 PARIS -- On April 15, 2019, the Notre Dame cathedral caught fire, with horrified Parisians watching as its iconic spire burned and fell to the ground. The 850-year-old Gothic building's spire and roof have collapsed but the main structure, including the two bell towers, has been saved, officials say. Netanyahu says Gaza strikes to continue 'at force'. "We were all stunned," said Paris resident Stacy Monsauret. Notre-Dame has stood tall above Paris since the 1200s. Bravo," Macron told workers with the Paris skyline behind him. PARIS — Two years after a fire tore through Paris’ most famous cathedral and shocked the world, French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday visited … Netanyahu says Gaza strikes to continue 'at force'1, Four arrested in anti-Semitism video investigation2, Taiwan orders toughest curbs amid Covid spike3, US climate envoy criticised for clean tech optimism4, Two killed in collapse at West Bank synagogue5, Vaccine passports inevitable, says airport boss6, Tom Cruise signs shirts for Covid-hit football club7, BBC postpones Panorama film on Diana interview8, No 10 defends timing of India travel ban9, 'The priceless statues I saw covered in dust and dirt'10. © 2021 BBC. Get the latest details in our LIVE BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE. Homes and buildings destroyed in Israel and Gaza. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Some could be seen openly weeping, while others sang hymns or said prayers. How do you convince people to have babies? Video, Homes and buildings destroyed in Israel and Gaza, The mid-air walkways saving endangered animals. Analysis by Henri Astier, BBC World Online. More than four hours later, fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet said the main structure had been "saved and preserved" from total destruction. Notre Dame Cathedral on Saturday held its first mass since a devastating fire tore through the building two months ago on April 15. "We've done a lot, and we've avoided the worst.". The fire began at around 18:30 (16:30 GMT) and quickly reached the roof of the cathedral, destroying its stained-glass windows and the wooden interior before toppling the spire. Two years since the devastating fire that nearly destroyed Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Gothic icon has still not been fully secured. Video, The 'tuk-tuk ambulance' helping Covid patients, The man who took the world on an adventure. The Israeli PM's comments come as the UN Security Council is meeting to try to broker a ceasefire. By the time the structure fire was extinguished, the building's spire had collapsed and most of its roof had been destroyed and its upper walls were severely damaged. "We'll rebuild Notre-Dame together", he said as he praised the "extreme courage" and "professionalism" of the firefighters. The 'tuk-tuk ambulance' helping Covid patients. No other site represents France quite like Notre-Dame. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral … Homes and buildings destroyed in Israel and Gaza. US climate envoy criticised for clean tech optimism, What economists got right (and wrong) about Covid, The man who took the world on an adventure. The Vatican expressed "shock and sadness," adding that it was praying for the French fire services. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. The fire is now out. The steeple collapses as smoke and flames engulf the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. In an apparent response, the French Civil Security service said that was not an option as it might result in the collapse of the entire building. Some sang liturgical music in harmonies late into the night as they stood vigil, while others prayed. The cathedral's main altar ... Flames brought down the spire and much of the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral Monday at the start of Holy Week. The felling of oaks for the new spire's frame has begun. VideoThe 'tuk-tuk ambulance' helping Covid patients, 'The priceless statues I saw covered in dust and dirt', Eurovision 2021: A joint mission to entertain. What happens to your body in extreme heat? Financing for the restoration was not a concern yet, said General Jean-Louis Georgelin, the former army chief of staff named by Macron to head the renovation. The cause of the fire is not yet clear. read more. Notre-Dame 2019 Fire Disaster The roof and spire of Notre-Dame Cathedral in flames — the 2019 fire that ravaged Notre-Dame is reasoned to have started in the attic before engulfing the entire roof Notre-Dame’s famous spire and the large parts of the roof took a heavy battering as fire broke out in the cathedral on April 15, 2019. Read about our approach to external linking. sparking fears the structure could become unstable. Because of the fire, Mr Macron cancelled a speech on TV in which he was due to address the street protests that have rocked France for months. Tearful Parisians and stunned tourists gazed in disbelief while the inferno raged at the cathedral, which marks the very centre of Paris. The most religiously and architecturally significant cathedral on earth. The fire, which brought down the spire and roof, was declared under control almost nine hours after it started. A major fire has engulfed the medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, one of France's most famous landmarks. The famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is on fire. Many works of art and religious relics were moved to safety early in the em… The Notre-Dame de Paris fire broke out on 15 April 2019, just before 18:20 CEST, beneath the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris. The fire at Notre-Dame six days earlier destroyed the cathedral's spire and two-thirds of its roof. 7.10pm 'All of the cathedral's frame is burning' The first fire alarm at Notre-Dame was triggered on Monday, April 15 at 6:20 p.m. Read about our approach to external linking. A "forest" of wooden latticework inside Notre Dame Cathedral fueled the fire that consumed the iconic church. Visiting the scene, the president said the cathedral was a building "for all French people", including those who had never been there. It has given its name to one of the country's literary masterpieces. "And then it was just sadness.". UK Prime Minister Theresa May said in a tweet: "My thoughts are with the people of France tonight and with the emergency services who are fighting the terrible blaze at Notre-Dame cathedral". Firefighters are still working to contain the blaze as teams try to salvage the artwork stored inside. Notre Dame Cathedral fire No Christmas Mass at Notre Dame for first time in 2 centuries Notre Dame's rector, Patrick Chauvet, said it was only during the … Video, The man who took the world on an adventure, Four arrested in anti-Semitism video investigation, Two killed in collapse at West Bank synagogue, Vaccine passports inevitable, says airport boss, Tom Cruise signs shirts for Covid-hit football club, BBC postpones Panorama film on Diana interview. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. "We're all impressed with what we see, with the work that has been achieved in two years. Extensive damage to the interior was prevented by its stone vaulted ceiling, which largely contained the burning roof as it collapsed. We can be only horrified by what we see". Workers at the reconstruction site of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, which was damaged in a devastating fire two years ago, as restoration works continue, in Paris, France, April 15, 2021. The first phase of the salvage operation was complicated by the need to cut up a 200-tonne mass of twisted metal left after the fire consumed scaffolding that had been erected around the wood-and-lead spire at the time of the blaze. The cathedral will only be declared out of danger once the phase to secure the site is complete, but all the indications were positive, said Jeremie Patrier-Leitus, a spokesman for the public body overseeing the restoration. We will bring you more info and update this story, but as of now, there is a significant fire that has broken out at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Some 500 firefighters worked to prevent one of the bell towers from collapsing. Notre Dame: ABC News gets exclusive first look inside the fire-ravaged cathedral David Muir gets unprecedented access after the devastating fire… Access to real-time, reference, and non-real time data in the cloud to power your enterprise. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Restoration work is underway at Notre-Dame de Paris, two years after a fire destroyed the cathedral's centuries-old attic and sent its spire crashing through the vaults below. Two years later, the … The damaged building is now to be closed for years to visits and worship. Technicians still have to reinforce some of the vaults closest to those destroyed with wooden arch-shaped frames that are lifted into place by crane, and extend a tarpaulin roof over the transept to protect the restoration work once it begins. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. President Emmanuel Macron called it a "terrible tragedy". Newspapers of the world are leading on the fire that caused extensive damage to the Notre Dame cathedral last night.French newspaper Libération prints the … It survived two world wars largely unscathed. President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday applauded the painstaking work to restore Notre-Dame de Paris, two years after a fire destroyed the cathedral's … The church receives almost 13 million visitors each year, more than the Eiffel Tower, A Unesco World Heritage site, it was built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Several statues of the facade of the Catholic cathedral were removed for renovation, The roof, which has been destroyed by the blaze, was made mostly of wood. From a rooftop platform, the president, dressed in a dark boiler suit and a white safety helmet, peered down into the cathedral's damaged transept and thanked workers on the site. President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday applauded the painstaking work to restore Notre-Dame de Paris, two years after a fire destroyed the cathedral's centuries-old attic and sent its spire crashing through the vaults below. Notre Dame cathedral fire: Devastating videos and photos show Paris landmark being destroyed The spire and roof have collapsed from the blaze As the flames spread along the roof of … [78] For the first time in more than 200 years, the Christmas mass was not hosted at the cathedral on 25 December 2019, due to the ongoing restoration work after the fire. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. VideoHomes and buildings destroyed in Israel and Gaza, Taiwan orders toughest curbs amid Covid spike, The mid-air walkways saving endangered animals. Deputy Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said the building had suffered "colossal damages", and teams were working to save the cathedral's remaining artwork. "We will need all these donations to complete the necessary work. PARIS -- On April 15, 2019, the Notre Dame cathedral caught fire, with horrified Parisians watching as its iconic spire burned and fell to the ground. An Israeli air strike in Gaza destroyed several homes on Sunday, killing 42 Palestinians, including 10 children, health officials said, as militants fired rockets at Israel with no end in sight to seven days of fighting. Sections of the cathedral were under scaffolding as part of the extensive renovations and 16 copper statues had been removed last week. Notre Dame Cathedral on Fire! Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is known to the French simply as Notre-Dame de Paris. The last time the cathedral suffered major damage was during the French Revolution. Notre-Dame: Massive fire ravages Paris cathedral - BBC News To kick off the project, workers cleared 21 … The cathedral was evacuated and the alert was investigated but … Information, analytics and exclusive news on financial markets - delivered in an intuitive desktop and mobile interface. Israel air strikes kill 42 Palestinians, rockets fired from Gaza, India promises more vaccines as daily COVID-19 deaths stay above 4,000, U.S. says ready to help Israel, Palestinians if they seek a ceasefire, Analysis: India’s once-in-a-century budget runs into trouble as virus strikes back, Palestinian killed after ramming car into 6 Israeli police in Jerusalem - police. Visibly emotional, Mr Macron said the "worst had been avoided" and vowed to launch an international fundraising scheme to rebuild the cathedral. Work was also temporarily halted because of worries over lead contamination and slowed at times by the coronavirus pandemic. Watching such an embodiment of the permanence of a nation burn and its spire collapse is profoundly shocking to any French person. The decoration was rescued from Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral after the fire. Several churches around Paris rang their bells in response to the blaze, which happened as Catholics celebrate Holy Week. Its main rival as a national symbol, the Eiffel Tower, is little more than a century old. VideoThe man who took the world on an adventure. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Thousands of people gathered in the streets around the cathedral, observing the flames in silence. Read more about the treasures of the cathedral, UK Prime Minister Theresa May said in a tweet, US President Donald Trump said it was "horrible to watch". "The cathedral hasn't moved since the fire, it's holding up. VideoThe mid-air walkways saving endangered animals. For many in the capital the emotion of that night remains raw. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Some 834 million euros in donations flooded in from billionaire tycoons and households in France and abroad in the fire's aftermath. PARIS (Reuters) - A massive fire consumed Notre-Dame Cathedral on Monday, gutting the roof of the Paris landmark and stunning France and the … Why doesn't Japan cancel the Tokyo Olympic Games? We need people to keep giving money," Georgelin told France Inter radio. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Pool. More than 700 days after workers scrambled to shore-up Notre-Dame's flying buttresses, save its 13th-century stained-glass rose windows and install movement sensors, the effort to make the site secure ahead of restoration is almost complete. In the hours after the blaze, Macron told a distraught nation that the cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, would be rebuilt and later promised it would be reopened to worshippers by 2024, when France hosts the Olympic Games. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered her support to the people of France, calling Notre-Dame a "symbol of French and European culture". Parisians are examining the full extent of a massive fire at Notre-Dame cathedral. Also on Twitter, US President Donald Trump said it was "horrible to watch" the fire and suggested that "flying water tankers" could be used to extinguish the blaze. Video, The mid-air walkways saving endangered animals, The 'tuk-tuk ambulance' helping Covid patients. ", The cathedral will be restored to its original design, including the 96-metre (315-feet) spire designed by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc and added in the mid-1800s. Historian Camille Pascal told French broadcaster BFMTV that "invaluable heritage" had been destroyed, adding: "Happy and unfortunate events for centuries have been marked by the bells of Notre-Dame.