This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/16/notre-dame-fire-investigators-seek-cause-of-cathedral-blaze-paris
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Notre Dame fire extinguished as investigators seek cause of blaze | Notre Dame fire extinguished as investigators seek cause of blaze |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The fire in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has been fully extinguished, firefighters said, as experts and architects met to assess the damage and establish whether the historic monument was stable. | The fire in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has been fully extinguished, firefighters said, as experts and architects met to assess the damage and establish whether the historic monument was stable. |
| Investigators were also keen to examine the building to establish the cause of the catastrophic blaze. The Paris prosecutor has opened an inquiry into “involuntary destruction by fire”. | Investigators were also keen to examine the building to establish the cause of the catastrophic blaze. The Paris prosecutor has opened an inquiry into “involuntary destruction by fire”. |
| Officers will want to question teams of workers carrying out renovations on the cathedral when the fire broke out. | |
| Laurent Nuñes, a junior interior minister, said the immediate danger was under control, but it was not known to what extent the fire had weakened the structure of the Gothic edifice. | Laurent Nuñes, a junior interior minister, said the immediate danger was under control, but it was not known to what extent the fire had weakened the structure of the Gothic edifice. |
| “The task overnight was to bring the fire under control so it doesn’t restart,” Nuñes said. “The task is – now the risk of fire has been put aside – about the building, how the structure will resist.” | |
| He added that part of the stone vault ceiling had collapsed, but the main structure had survived. | |
| Around 400 firefighters battled the flames as they consumed the cathedral’s ribbed roof, which was made up of hundreds of oak beams, some dating back to the 13th century and measuring up to 110 metres long, and known as “le forêt” (the forest). Their priority was preventing the fire, which was stoked by wind, from reaching the two Gothic towers, or belfries, on the west facade. | |
| As well as damage from the heat, which firefighters say reached more than 800C, experts also need to assess damage from the vast quantities of water firefighters poured into the cathedral. | As well as damage from the heat, which firefighters say reached more than 800C, experts also need to assess damage from the vast quantities of water firefighters poured into the cathedral. |
| “A meeting of experts and national architects is taking place this morning to consider whether the building is stable and whether fire officers can set up inside to continue their work,” the minister added. | “A meeting of experts and national architects is taking place this morning to consider whether the building is stable and whether fire officers can set up inside to continue their work,” the minister added. |
| Franck Riester, France’s culture minister, said: “The principal structure is saved, but the situation is still precarious. We’re optimistic because the two belfries were saved.” | Franck Riester, France’s culture minister, said: “The principal structure is saved, but the situation is still precarious. We’re optimistic because the two belfries were saved.” |
| The fire broke out at about 6.45pm on Monday evening in the roof space, which was surrounded by scaffolding. The flames took hold and spread quickly to the 93-metre-high spire, which then buckled and fell through the roof. It took firefighters more than four hours to bring the blaze under control and prevent it spreading to the main towers. | |
| Fire officers saved a number of treasures inside the cathedral, which draws an estimated 14 million visitors a year, including religious relics and smaller works of art. There were conflicting reports over the fate of the 13th-century stained glass “rose” windows and the cathedral’s celebrated organ. | Fire officers saved a number of treasures inside the cathedral, which draws an estimated 14 million visitors a year, including religious relics and smaller works of art. There were conflicting reports over the fate of the 13th-century stained glass “rose” windows and the cathedral’s celebrated organ. |
| Monseigneur Michel Aupetit, the archbishop of Paris, said there was a global “love for this extraordinary cathedral”. | Monseigneur Michel Aupetit, the archbishop of Paris, said there was a global “love for this extraordinary cathedral”. |
| “When we arrived yesterday evening, we wanted to cry and people were crying around us,” he said. “Notre Dame is a symbol, more than a symbol it is the soul of France.” | “When we arrived yesterday evening, we wanted to cry and people were crying around us,” he said. “Notre Dame is a symbol, more than a symbol it is the soul of France.” |
| “Notre Dame de Paris on the Île de la Cité , [in the] centre of Paris, is charged with history with events through the centuries. It draws people, they come to look and they respect the place and they come to pray,” he told BFMTV. | |
| Emmanuel Macron, the French president, who was at the scene on Monday evening, promised an immediate fundraising campaign would be launched as well as an appeal to international experts to help rebuild Notre Dame. | |
| Two of the country’s richest tycoons pledged millions to the fund. François Pinault, the head of Kering, which owns fashion labels including Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Gucci, pledged €100m from his family’s fortune. Shortly afterwards, Bernard Arnault, the owner of the group Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy declared he would donate €200m. | |
| The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, called for a “donors’ conference”, not only to raise money for the reconstruction but to involve experts from around the world. | |
| Notre Dame | Notre Dame |
| Paris | Paris |
| France | France |
| Europe | Europe |
| Emmanuel Macron | Emmanuel Macron |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |