A fire broke out on Thursday in the spire of Rouen’s cathedral, a Gothic landmark in northern France, as reported by Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol. He shared a photo showing a column of smoke rising from the site. The fire’s cause is currently unknown, with Mayer-Rossignol stating that all available public resources are being deployed to combat it.
Local fire service SDIS76 responded to the alarm around midday (1000 GMT), dispatching 33 vehicles and 63 firefighters to the scene. The fire reportedly started at the top of the spire, which is constructed of metal rather than wood, according to the Seine-Maritime department prefecture.
The cathedral is currently undergoing restoration work, and it remains unclear whether the wooden frame of the spire is affected. The evacuation of the Our Lady of the Assumption cathedral has been completed, with a security perimeter established to aid emergency responders.
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Similar to the devastating 2019 fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, which was caused by a fire in its wooden roof frame, the situation in Rouen raises concerns about potential structural damage. Construction on Rouen’s cathedral began in the 12th century and continued over several centuries until its completion in its current form.
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