From the New York Post:
Photos from inside Notre Dame show the central part of the historic Gothic cathedral still intact.
Rows of wooden pews and much of the nave appears to have been saved, according to the images. “Only a small part of the vault collapsed. Interior seems relatively untouched. Hallelujah!” wrote @CathedralNotre.
From The New York Times:
PARIS — Notre-Dame cathedral, the iconic symbol of the beauty and history of Paris, was scarred by an extensive fire on Monday evening that caused its delicate spire to collapse, bruised the Parisian skies with smoke and further disheartened a city already back on its heels after weeks of violent protests.
By 11 p.m., Gen. Jean-Claude Gallet, the Paris fire chief, said that the structure, including the two magnificent towers soaring above the skyline, had been “saved and preserved as a whole,” but that two-thirds of the roof was destroyed. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, officials said, but Mr. Gallet told television interviewers that it had begun in the attic. No one was killed or injured, officials said.
From Fox News:
A massive fire broke out at the famed Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday afternoon, officials said.
Black smoke could be seen from a distance billowing out from the top of the medieval cathedral, while flames leaped out from two of its bell towers. The sight stopped pedestrians in their tracks along the Seine River, which passes under the cathedral. A dramatic video showed the cathedral’s main spire collapsed from the blaze. Local reports said the roof collapsed.
From CNN:
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said exceptional measures are being taken to try to save the Notre Dame cathedral.
“Support and solidarity with @PompiersParis (fire brigade) mobilized to save our common heritage, in the heart of Paris. An exceptional force was deployed by the @prefpolice (Paris police) to neutralize this violent fire. I share the immense emotion of the Parisians,” Castaner tweeted.
Former French President François Hollande also said on Twitter, “Notre Dame is our common heritage. It’s a wound to see it devastated by flames. Respects to the firemen trying to extinguish the fire.”
From the London Mail:
Officials in Paris said the fire could be linked to restoration works as the peak of the church is currently undergoing a 6 million-euro ($6.8 million) renovation project.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says firefighters are trying to contain the ‘terrible fire’ and urged residents of the French capital to stay away from the security perimeter around the Gothic-style church. The mayor says city officials are in touch with Roman Catholic diocese in Paris. The cathedral is one the finest example of French Gothic architecture in Europe, and one of the most visited buildings in the world. Notre Dame – which means ‘Our Lady’ – was build in 1160 and completed by 1260, and has been modified on a number of occasions throughout the century.
From The New York Times:
Thousands stood on the banks of the Seine river and watched in shock as the fire tore through the cathedral’s wooden roof and brought down part of the spire. Video filmed by onlookers and shared on social media showed smoke and flames billowing from the top of the cathedral.
The French police rushed in and started blowing whistles, telling everyone to move back, witnesses said. By then, the flames were towering, spilling out of multiple parts of the cathedral. Tourists and residents alike came to a standstill, pulling out their phones to call their loved ones. Older Parisians began to cry, lamenting how their national treasure was quickly being lost.