On 15 April, 2019, fire broke out beneath the roof of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, destroying its spire most of its roof, and upper walls. Extensive damage to the interior was prevented by its stone vaulted ceiling. Many works of art and religious relics were moved to safety, but others were damaged or destroyed. The cathedral’s altar, two pipe organs, and its three 13th-century rose windows, suffered little to no damage. On December 25, 2019, the Notre Dame Cathedral did not host Christmas services for the first time since the French Revolution.
Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz told reporters the cause of the fire was likely due to negligence, which could mean the flick of a cigarette at the wrong place, or a simple electrical misalignment. He added that the team hasn’t completely ruled out criminal activity, though the preliminary investigation into the April blaze found no sign the fire was started deliberately.
Richard Marlet, former head of the scientific police in France, told Euronews the team would still need to find which tiny electrical wire sparked the massive fire.
“It might be wires connected to the tools used by the companies in charge of renovation works,” he said, or “it might also be the electrical circuit connected to the bells.”
Picture Credit : Google
