https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04...aris-engulfed-by-fire-roof-collapses/11018158
Notre Dame cathedral spire collapses as devastating fire tears through Paris landmark
A catastrophic fire has engulfed Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the Western world.
Flames that began in the early evening burst through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof.
However a French official and the Paris fire chief said they thought the iconic towers had been saved from the fire, and authorities said the cathedral's structure was "saved from total destruction".
Fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet said a major accomplishment of hundreds of firefighters was stopping the flames from spreading to the north tower belfry. He said one firefighter had been seriously injured in the blaze, while two-thirds of Notre Dame's roofing "has been ravaged".
It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, which drew crowds of people to nearby squares as a huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area.
France 2 television reported police were treating the incident as an accident.
Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot had said the blaze was likely to bring the entire wooden frame of the cathedral down, and the vault of the edifice could be threatened too.
The burning spire of a gothic cathedral glows orange as smoke billows from it.
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Notre Dame is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, and one of the most beloved structures in the world.
Situated on the Ile de la Cite, an island in the Seine river, the cathedral's architecture is famous for, among other things, its many gargoyles and its iconic flying buttresses.
Among the most celebrated artworks inside are its three stained-glass rose windows, placed high up on the west, north and south faces of the cathedral.
Its priceless treasures also include a Catholic relic, the crown of thorns, which is only occasionally displayed, including on Fridays during Lent.
Paris Mayor Anne Hildago said the cathedral's significant collection of artwork and holy objects had been recovered.
She said residents living near the cathedral were evacuated in preparation for the burning structure's possible collapse.
French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived at Notre Dame, having cancelled a major televised speech after the blaze broke out.
Mr Macron was treating the fire as a national emergency, Associated Press reported.
The fire came less than a week before Easter amid Holy Week commemorations.
As the cathedral burned and flames lit the sky behind them, Parisians gathered to pray and sing hymns outside the church
of Saint Julien Les Pauvres across the river from Notre Dame.
