A fire has broke out at the spire of France's famous Rouen Cathedral in Normandy. As per mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, the origin of the fire is "unknown at this stage" and all resources have been mobilised.
The fire broke out on Thursday in the Rouen Cathedral, also known as Seine-Maritime. As per the latest update, the fire is now contained.
As per French reports, work was underway on the spire, which was due to be completed by 2026.
"The construction site is complex because of this height with very large scaffolding structures," Richard Duplat, chief architect of Historic Monuments, told Tendance Ouest.
The cathedral has been evacuated and emergency services have been deployed on site.
As per the official update, 63 firefighters have been mobilised with 33 vehicles. In lieu of the fire, tram traffic has also bee disrupted as stations from St-Hilaire to Théâtre des Arts have been closed down for the time being.
Based on reports from journalists in Normandy, the fire was first reported at 12 Noon. After 2 hours of burning, it now under control and doused. Firefighters have added that it is unlikely that the blaze will spread.
The Rouen Cathedral fire comes five years after the fire at the famous Notre Dame cathedral. The fire at Notre Dame broke out in April 2019. After the fire had been extinguished, the cathedral's spire collapsed.
The roof of the Notre Dame has been destroyed and the upper walls of the cathedral were left several damaged. The work to repair and restore the Notre Dame is underway and is expected to reopen in December 2024.
This is a developing story. More details are awaited...
