Notre-Dame fire
 From Quai de Montebello with the spire aflame | |
  Notre-Dame Cathedral Notre-Dame Cathedral (Paris)   Notre-Dame Cathedral Notre-Dame Cathedral (France) | |
| Date | 15 April 2019 |
|---|---|
| Time | 18:20 CEST (16:20 UTC) |
| Duration | 15 hours[1] |
| Venue | Notre-Dame Cathedral |
| Location | Paris |
| Coordinates | 48°51′11″N 2°20′59″E / 48.8530°N 2.3498°E |
| Cause | Unknown |
| Deaths | 0[2] |
| Non-fatal injuries | 3[3][4] |
| Property damage | Roof and spire destroyed; windows and vaulted ceilings damaged |
A fire broke out at Notre Dame de Paris at around 18:50 local time on 15 April 2019. Notre Dame is the Roman-Catholic cathedral of Paris. It is in the center of the city. The fire made the roof and main spire fall.[4][5] The building's vaulted stone ceiling contained the burning roof as it collapsed, preventing worse damage to the interior.
Around 23:00 local time, the spokesperson of the Paris firefighters said that the structure would probably be saved. This includes the north tower; at times, it was feared that the north tower would also be affected.
Over 400 people helped fight the fire. They used 18 specially built fire hoses to put water on the flames. Two police officers were injured, and one firefighter was critically wounded, who was treated in a nearby hospital.
Cause[change | change source]
At the time the fire was being fought, its cause was not known, but it was being treated as an accident.[6] The investigation most strongly suspected a case of "accidental destruction by fire", but had not ruled anything out, saying it was too early to know the cause of the fire.[7][8][9] It is not yet[when?] known if renovation work contributed to the fire. There have been other cases where renovation-related fires smoulder for hours unseen before breaking out.[10] The firm Le Bras Frères that was carrying out the renovations stated they had followed procedure, and would co-operate fully with the investigation. They also stated that none of their personnel were on site at the time the fire broke out.[11]
Overview of damage[change | change source]
- Spire totally destroyed
- Two thirds of the roof destroyed; this includes 13000 oaks from the time the cathedral was built (12th to 14th century). This is about 21 hectares of forest.
- Some domes affected
- The statues on the roof were not present, as they were undergoing renovation
- Relics were saved
- About 90 to 95 percent of the artworks on display in the cathedral were saved
- Three large holes in the ceiling
- Several rows of pews crushed by falling debris
- Surrounding area contaminated with lead from the roof
The equivalent of 1 billion pounds was later raised online for restoration.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "Notre-Dame fire: Millions pledged to rebuild cathedral". BBC News. 16 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
- ↑ "France vows to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral after devastating fire". CBS News. 17 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
- ↑ "What We Know and Don't Know About the Notre-Dame Fire". The New York Times. 15 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral on fire". CNBC. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ↑ "La cathédrale Notre-Dame ravagée par les flammes". Le Monde (in French). 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ↑ Nossiter, Adam; Breeden, Aurelien (15 April 2019). "Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris Catches Fire". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ↑ "The Latest: French leader vows to rebuild damaged Notre Dame". AP News. 15 April 2019. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ↑ "Notre-Dame : la piste accidentelle privilégiée, les ouvriers du chantier entendus en pleine nuit" [Notre-Dame: prioritized accident investigation, construction workers heard in the middle of the night]. La Depeche. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ↑ "Six questions sur l'incendie de Notre-Dame de Paris" [Six questions about the fire of Notre-Dame]. Le Parisien. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ↑ Captain, Sean (15 April 2019). "Notre-Dame fire: Why historic restorations keep going up in flames". Fast Company.
- ↑ Lough, Richard; Pineau, Elizabeth (16 April 2019). "No sign of arson in Notre-Dame blaze as nation grieves for symbol". Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.