A massive fire is ravaging the iconic Notre Dame cathedral in central Paris, France, as firefighters work to preserve what they can of the iconic building.
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The blaze began around around 6:50pm local time and quickly engulfed much of the structure, which has stood proudly in the city centre for over 800 years.
But the building’s spire and most of its roof have already been destroyed by the flames.
Notre Dame spokesperson Andre Finot reportedly told local media “everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame.”
Footage taken near the monumental structure shows the moment its spire collapsed to the ground.
https://twitter.com/patrickgaley/status/1117848909877895171
Hundreds of firefighters are attending the scene, and emergency services are attempting to recover irreplaceable artworks and artefacts from the building.
A spokesperson for the city’s fire departments said all measures short of water bombing are being used to salvage the cathedral.
However, senior French officials have told the media it is uncertain whether the structure can be saved.
It is unclear what sparked the fire, but eyewitnesses have reported seeing the blaze emerge near scaffolding used for the cathedral’s renovations.
No injuries have been reported.
More to come.
https://twitter.com/Inaki_Gil/status/1117868382785802242
