The Parisian cathedral Notre-Dame burned down, losing its roof and spire

Paris/Prague - A large fire broke out today at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, with flames shooting from the famous building for five hours and thick smoke rising. The fire spread quickly, and firefighters tried to save artistic works from the cathedral. Deputy Minister of the Interior Laurent Nuñez warned in the evening that firefighters might not be able to save the iconic cathedral. However, later came more optimistic statements. The fire chief announced that the structure would be spared from total destruction. One firefighter sustained serious injuries while fighting the fire. World politicians offered comfort, advice, and help to the French in response to the fire at the cathedral, which is a symbol of the city and the entire country.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, it will take another three to four hours to fully bring the fire under control. About 400 firefighters are battling the flames with the help of 18 water cannons. The building has lost its slender spire, and according to witnesses and footage, the entire roof has collapsed, and flames have engulfed one of the well-known square front towers.

The fire, which broke out around 18:50 CEST, may be related to renovation work on the building, but the authorities have not yet disclosed the cause. The Paris prosecutor's office has announced that preliminary findings indicate the fire was caused accidentally.

President Emmanuel Macron arrived on the scene, having canceled his planned televised address to the nation on another topic scheduled for 20:00 due to the incident. "The whole nation feels moved. We think of all Catholics and all French people," wrote the head of the Élysée Palace on Twitter. "We will rebuild the Notre-Dame Cathedral together," Macron said in a visibly emotional voice directly at the scene of the disaster. He will also announce an international fundraising campaign.

Bridges around Notre-Dame were filled with onlookers, and according to reporters present, cries of horror echoed at times, while otherwise, people watched the devastation mostly in silence. Some could not hold back their tears, others sang church hymns, and others prayed for the firefighters to succeed in saving the cathedral.

U.S. President Trump suggested on Twitter that "flying water tankers could be used to extinguish the flames" and emphasized that "quick action is necessary." French authorities rejected Trump's recommendation to use Canadair aircraft to fight the fire at the cathedral. The Civil Defense office stated on Twitter that throwing water "on this type of building" could "cause the collapse of the integrity of the structure."

Support for France was expressed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Donald Tusk, and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. "Notre-Dame in Paris is Notre-Dame for all of Europe," Tusk wrote on Twitter. "Today, we are all with Paris," he added. "Notre-Dame belongs to all humanity. What a sad sight!" wrote Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, on Twitter.

Merkel described the cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady, as a "symbol of France and our European culture." The Vatican expressed "shock and sadness" over the fire that destroyed a "symbol of Christianity in France and in the world." It assured that it is in prayer with the residents of the French capital and with those "who are doing everything possible to address this dramatic situation."

"I am saddened to see the horrific images of the Paris Notre-Dame Cathedral engulfed in flames. I sent an SMS to President Emmanuel Macron, for whom this is the same tragedy as for the entire French nation," wrote Andrej Babiš on Twitter.

Culture Minister Antonín Staněk is prepared to offer France help from Czech experts in restoring the cathedral. Martha Häckl, spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture, told ČTK. The sadness over the damage to this world-heritage site was shared by other Czech politicians. Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček compared the disaster to the fire at the National Theatre.

According to Czech experts, the fire could be fatal for the famous cathedral. Art historian specializing in the Middle Ages, Milena Bartlová, told ČTK that she is most afraid of the roof collapsing and the fire spreading in the interior. Ondřej Šefců, director of the Prague branch of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ), stated on Czech Television that in the case of a fire in the towers, the bells could fall into the interior of the cathedral, and the rare and old stained glass windows are, according to him, irretrievably lost due to the heat.