Thousands of Parisians watched in horror from behind police cordons as a ferocious blaze devastated the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral, destroying its spire and spreading to the historic bell towers, reports The Guardian.
Firefighters battled to contain the fire, with police saying it began accidentally and may be linked to building work at the cathedral.
The 850-year-old gothic masterpiece had been undergoing restoration work to help it better withstand the tests of time.
“Everything is burning,” André Finot, a spokesman for the cathedral, told French media. “Nothing will remain from the frame.”
Flames burst through the roof of the cathedral – one of France’s most visited places – and quickly engulfed the spire, which collapsed. The spire was made of wood and lead and was built during a restoration in the mid-19th century.
A huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area. No deaths or injuries were initially reported.
Buildings around the cathedral were evacuated, and the fire department said a major operation was under way. Police closed several metro stations and cordoned off roads by the river.
A cathedral spokesman said the entire wooden interior of the 12th-century landmark was burning and was likely to be destroyed, while the city’s deputy mayor, Emmanuel Grégoire, said emergency services were trying to salvage artwork and other priceless items stored there.
“There are a lot of art works inside...it’s a real tragedy,” mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters at the scene.
On the left bank of the Seine thousands gathered to watch the fire blazing as orange flames towered from the roof. The crowd could hear loud bangs as part of the roof appeared to collapse.
Fire trucks could be seen speeding through Paris towards the scene on the Île de la Cité, the island in the Seine at the heart of Paris where the cathedral is located.
Some people in the crowd were crying, and others started singing hymns. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” said one older woman, who did not wish to give her name. “If this burns down, it’s a piece of history that goes.”
Alexis, 35, said he had hurried to the scene after seeing the first images on TV. “I rushed down as soon as I saw what was happening. I never thought it would be this depressing.”
Over the course of an hour, he had watched as the flames rose from the roof and sections of it collapsed. “When I got here the roof was still there. I slowly watched it fall.”
Camille, 20, from Normandy, a history student at the Sorbonne, stood at the police cordon. “There’s a feeling of total sadness and also anger. It’s our heritage. People in the crowd have been singing hymns. Whether you’re Christian or not, part of our history is going up in smoke.”
A 55-year-old furniture restorer, who did not wish to give his name, said he had arrived at the start of the fire and had watched the flames move from the back of the cathedral towards the bell towers.
“This is a major moment,” he said. This building is a symbol of Catholicism. It’s a symbol of Paris.”
Some in the crowd said they felt helpless, watching flames spreading across the building. The fire brigade used cherry pickers to spray the building with water from beyond the bell towers.
See more of this report, with video, from The Guardian.