The entire world was thrown into shock and disbelief when the famous medieval cathedral of Notre Dame located in Paris, France was engulfed in flames. The violent fire started at around 18:30 (16:30 GMT) and it didn't take time for it to reach to the roof which was entirely made of wood, damaging the stained glass windows and the interior before toppling the spire.


The famous edifice, which was built from 1163 to 1345, during the reign of King Louis VII, is 850 years old. Damages done to the building by the fire include that the Gothic building's spire and roof were collapsed but the main structure, including the two bell towers, were not burnt according
to officials.

The building fire gave firefighters tough time to put out as teams struggled to rescue the precious artwork the building boasts of. There were about some 500 firefighters in the efforts to put out the flames and after about four hours later of intense fight with the ravaging flames, fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet said the main structure had been "saved and preserved" from total destruction.

Reacting to the incident, French President, Emmanuel Macron described it as a “terrible tragedy”. He said the worst had been avoided and vowed to pursue an international fundraising scheme to generate the capital needed to rebuild the cathedral.


According to reports, the cause of the fire has not been determined. However, due to the recent necessary renovation works going on in the building, officials have suggested the cause of the fire could be from there. The building was suffering the effects of age, as the walls had started cracking and structures fading, prompting the renovation.


According to reports from the Paris prosecutor’s office, the office revealed it had started an investigation into “accidental destruction by fire”. A firefighter was said to have sustained life threatening injuries while making efforts to put out the fire.

Deputy Paris Mayor, Emmanuel Gregoire said the edifice had suffered “colossal damages” and efforts were being made to save the cathedral’s remaining artwork.



Following the tragic incident, thousands of touched people assembled in the streets around the cathedral, some wearing sad faces, some crying and some were murmuring hymns and prayers.



Many churches in response to the incident, rang their bells. This incident is coming as Catholics mark their holy week and the cathedral is used to conduct mass every Sunday.

The incident made French President, Macron to cancel an important speech on TV where he wanted to address the streets protests going on in France for some months. Arriving at the scene of the fire, he said the cathedral was for all French people including those who have never been there and those who have and he assured that it will be rebuilt. He also praised the extreme and professional efforts of the firefighters who stood against all odds to see the fire didn't do greater damages.


The cathedral as the pride of France, which was a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts of 13 million tourists every year more than the Eiffel Tower



International reactions have been pouring in following the tragic incident. The Vatican expressed shock and sadness while it maintained that it was putting the French fire service in prayers.


German Chancellor, Angela Merkel who described the edifice as a symbol of French and European culture also offered her support and expressed her sadness at the ugly incident.



Also in a tweet by UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, the leader offered her support and expressed sadness at the fire. She tweeted: "My thoughts are with the people of France tonight and with the emergency services who are fighting the terrible blaze at Notre-Dame cathedral".


That was followed by a tweet from the President of the United States,
Donald Trump, who described the fire as horrible to watch, while suggesting the fire be attacked from above with flying water tankers. However in an obvious response from the French Civil Security, Trump’s suggestion was not an option as pouring water from above would further aid the collapse of the building.


The Notre Dame Cathedral has stood as the symbol of France, giving pride and beauty to the country. The cathedral has also been engulfed in flames before in the 13th century which prompted the total renovation of the building.

We sympathize with the people of France and those concerned over this loss.

See photos of the the cathedral and damages done here

https://nwafada.com/2019/04/16/fire-ravages-the-notre-dame-cathedral-as-easter-approaches-photos/