Watch the inside of the cathedral after it was ravaged by flames in the video below.
Video credit: BBC News
The photos showing damage to the inside of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris after an inferno broke out Monday night have shocked the world.
Although the firefighters succeeded to ‘save and preserve’ the cathedral’s main structure, several parts of the historic church have been razed to the ground.
The images revealing the true extent of the devastating flames were captured by a police drone.
— Alexandre Fremont (@alex_fremont) April 15, 2019
The inferno was set in motion at around 18:30 (16:30 GMT) with Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, describing it as ‘terrible’ and urging citizens to ‘respect the security perimeter’.
“A terrible fire is underway at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris,” she said.
“The @PompiersParis are trying to control the flames. We are mobilized on the spot in close connection with the @dioceseParis. I ask everyone to respect the security perimeter.”
The cause of the blaze is still unknown but the initial reports by Parisian fire brigade hint it to be ‘potentially linked’ to a major renovation project on the cathedral’s spire, the Independent reported.
The incident is being treated as an accident after Paris prosecutors’ office ruled out the possibility of arson and other terror-related activities.
Despite the damage, almost all priceless artwork and artifacts have been saved from the 850-year-old church, a Notre Dame cathedral priest revealed.
These relics include a tunic worn by King Louis IX and the crown of thorns which Jesus Christ wore at the cross.
French journalist Nicolas Delesalle said in a tweet, citing Père Frédéric: “Good news: all the works of art were saved. The treasure of the Cathedral is intact, the Crown of thorns, the Holy sacraments.”
After the incident, President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the historic cathedral, saying that the ‘worst has been avoided.’
“We’ll rebuild this cathedral all together and it’s undoubtedly part of the French destiny and the project we’ll have for the coming years,” Macron added.
“That’s what the French expect [and] because it’s what our history deserves.”
The Notre Dame cathedral took almost a century to get built after the construction work started in 1160. The historic structure has been modified several times ever since.
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