(The cathedral’s spire has now collapsed.)
A fire is engulfing the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, and has already destroyed the monument’s spire. The blaze erupted at the centuries-old cathedral on Monday around 6:30 pm local time, and news of the fire spread rapidly on social media as people shared photos showing bright-orange flames and smoke pouring from a spire of the church.
Images on social media later showed the cathedral’s spire collapsing, swallowed up by the blaze. The cause of the fire is not yet clear, though police told the Guardian that it appeared to be an accident and linked to restoration work. The approximately 800-year-old church, which is one of Paris’s most iconic attractions, has been in desperate need of repairs and restoration.
The fire is still burning, and tourists were reportedly inside and had to be evacuatedwhen the flames broke out.
There have been no reports of any injuries, and fire crews are continuing to battle the blaze.
Anne Hidalgo, Paris’s mayor, said on Twitterthat “a terrible fire is underway at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris,” and that fire crews were trying to control the flames. She urged people to avoid the area.
UPDATES BY VOX NEWS PARIS