Huge fire devastates Notre-Dame Cathedral

A huge fire has broken out at Notre-Dame Cathedral | This afternoon, a serious fire broke out at Notre–Dame Cathedral in Paris. It is thought to have begun in the roof and has spread rapidly through the gothic structure. At the time of writing (8pm BST), the spire has collapsed and the fire is not under control. A spokesman for Notre-Dame has said that the building’s wooden frame is on fire, and that it remains to be seen if the vaults will survive. It is too early to determine the cause of the outbreak, but the building has been undergoing restoration for some time. There are currently no known injuries and police have cleared the area around the cathedral.

Update at 10.20pm BST: The two towers of Notre-Dame have been saved from the fire, according to a spokesman for the Paris fire brigade. The fate of the cathedral’s rose windows is not known; aerial images show that the roof of the cathedral has been destroyed. A fireman has been seriously injured while tackling the blaze.

Update on 16 April at 10.45 BST: The Paris fire brigade has announced that the fire at Notre-Dame has been completely extinguished. The cathedral’s spokesman, Andre Finot, has said that – as far as he can see – the three rose windows dating from the 13th century have not been damaged, unlike the upper windows, which date from the 19th century, and the great organ. Notre-Dame’s greatest relics – the crown of thorns and the robe of Saint Louis – were taken to the Hotel de Ville last night. The condition of the paintings that were too large to be moved remains to be seen.