UPDATE: A fire that broke out at Paris’s famous Notre Dame cathedral on Monday has been contained and the structure will be “saved” according to a Paris fire official.
“The worst has been avoided, but the battle isn’t fully won yet,” French President Emmanuel Macron told crowds in a speech given outside of the church Monday night.
He promised that the cathedral will be rebuilt. “It is with pride I tell you tonight we will rebuild this cathedral . . . we will rebuild Notre Dame because it is what the French expect of us, it is what our history deserves, it is, in the deepest sense, our destiny,” he said.
The blaze erupted around 6:30 p.m. Monday local time and appears to have completely consumed the landmark’s roof. Thebuilding’s towering spire has fallenand portions of the roof have collapsed, according to France 24.
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Pedestrians flooded the streets to watch the blaze, many in tears, one Paris resident tells PEOPLE. On Monday evening, a crowd gathered to sing Ave Maria near the cathedral.
André Finot, a spokesman for the cathedral, told theNew York Timesin a telephone interview that the cause of the fire is not yet clear.
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A spokesperson for the cathedraltold the BBCthat the whole structure is “burning,” adding, “There will be nothing left.”
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Twitter users are also documenting the horrific scene.
“It feels like the end of the world,”one user wrote. “It’s getting worse. But the fire brigade has turned up. Hard to see how [to] tackle this. The plume of smoke is already 100s of feet long.”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo sent out a message to residents of the city via Twitter: “A terrible fire is underway at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The @PompiersParis [are] trying to control the flames. We are mobilized on site in close connection with the @dioceseParis. I invite each and every one to respect the perimeter of security.”
“Our Lady of Paris in flames. Emotion of a whole nation. Thoughts for all Catholics and for all French. Like all our countrymen, I’m sad tonight to see this part of us burn,” French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted. He has reportedly canceled a speech tonight and is on his way to the scene.
President Donald Trump also weighed in, suggesting how best to battle the blaze in a tweet. “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!” he wrote.
This is a developing story.
source: people.com
