A raging fire threatened the existence of Notre–Dame de Paris, France one of the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages distinguished for its size, antiquity, and architectural interest. Photos and videos on social media show the roof of the 850-year-old Gothic building covered in flames, issuing a plume of smoke above the city
The Gothic masterpiece had been undergoing restoration work before a blaze toppled the building’s spire on Monday night almost demolishing the entire wooden frame. Thousands of Parisians watched in horror and disbelief from behind police cordons as a ferocious blaze devastated Notre Dame Cathedral destroying its spire and a large part of the roof. Many wept while others prayed as vast orange flames soared from the roof for hours, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the western world.
As at Tuesday, the fire in the heart of Paris was brought under control by firefighters in the early hours of the morning, though officials warned there were still residual fires to put out. The deputy mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, said the cathedral had suffered ‘colossal damages’, and the emergency services were trying to salvage the art and other priceless pieces stored in the cathedral.
An investigation has been opened by the prosecutor’s office, but police said it began accidentally and may be linked to building work at the cathedral.
“What happened tonight in Paris, in this cathedral, is a terrible event. 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 So I solemnly say tonight: we will rebuild it together,” president Emmanuel Macron said,
Vowing to raise funds worldwide and bring the best talents from around the world to reconstruct the building in its entirety, Macron announced an international fundraising campaign to raise money for the repairs. French billionaire François-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of international luxury group Kering, pledged 100 million euros towards rebuilding Notre Dame.
