France: Fire-fighters control raging blaze at 850-year-old Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris

Paris, April 16: In France, a raging fire that tore through Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris has been controlled. Firefighters managed to save the 850-year-old Gothic building's main stone structure, including its two towers, but the spire and roof collapsed.

 

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed relief and vowed to rebuild the cathedral described as the soul of the nation. Around 400 firefighters battled into the night to control the flames, declaring in the early hours today that it was partially extinguished but completely under control.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear, but the cathedral had been undergoing intense restoration work which the fire service said could be linked to the blaze.

"The entire fire is out. We've now entered the expertise phase," said Gabriel Plus, the spokesman for the Paris fire brigade, adding that the "violent fire" had "spread very quickly over the entire roof" on "about 1,000 square metres".

"We are favouring the theory of an accident," Paris public prosecutor Remy Heitz said, adding that more than 50 people were involved in the investigation.

He added that police will start questioning the workers involved in the restoration on Tuesday.

Smoke could be seen billowing out from the top of the medieval cathedral as flames leapt out beside its two bell towers.