The Latest: World mourns Paris fire, offers rebuilding help
World leaders are mourning the devastating fire damage at the
South Korean President
Moon and
Moon said the French people's "spirit of liberty, equality and fraternity will never be dashed by flames."
And
The fire Monday felled the spire and burned through much of the roof, but fire officials said the flames had been stopped before reaching the north belfry. Most of its artwork and religious relics were said to have been saved as well.
People in the art world watched with shock and wept as a fierce fire ripped through
One medieval art expert called the Gothic church built over centuries "one of the great monuments to the best of civilization."
Her voice shook as she tried to put what Notre Dame means into words.
Others expressed fear for works of art inside the cathedral, including the famous stained-glass rose windows.
The fire chief in
A hole left by Notre Dame's fallen spire is still burning and sparks are spilling down from the cathedral's vaulted ceilings more than five hours a fire broke out near the top of the Gothic landmark in
An
No lights were on, but the simmering red hole from the fallen spire provided illumination. Streams of sparks rained from the gap onto the floor where the church choir usually stands during services.
French President
Macron said after the French capital's fire chief announced the emergency response had changed into a monitoring and mop-up operation, "The worst has been avoided although the battle is not yet totally won."
Macron said a national fundraising campaign to restore Notre Dame would be launched Tuesday and he called on the world's "greatest talents" to help.
The French leader credited the "courage" and "great professionalism" of firefighters with sparing Notre Dame's facade and two landmark towers from being destroyed.
The
The prosecutors' office said late Monday they have ruled out arson in Monday's fire, including possible terror-related motives for starting the blaze.
Prosecutors say
A French official and the
Junior Interior Minister
Gallet says two-thirds of Notre Dame's roofing "has been ravaged." He says one firefighter was injured.
He says fire crews will keep working overnight to cool down the structure.
The mayor of
But Mayor
The fire chief in
Gallet says one firefighter was injured.
Hildago says the significant collection art work and holy objects kept inside the church has been recovered.
Parisians have gathered to say prayers and sing hymns In front of the nearby Saint Julien Les Pauvres church as the massive blaze at
Flames and smoke rose in the sky behind the singers. A couple hundred people kneeling in prayer at the center of a larger group, who are standing around the edge and joining in the hymns between the prayers.
Aupetit is at the cathedral and will meet with French President
An official from the
A group of Americans from
Soule and her father,
Win told The Associated Press "Now I feel sorry for the people tomorrow. They won't be able to see it."
He says "it's incredible. I'm not religious, but this is clearly very important to a lot of people."
The fire chief in
Fire Chief
Gallet said: "If it collapses, you can imagine how important the damage will be."
Flames already have reached one of Notre Dame's towers and brought down the church spire that extended 96-meters-high (315-feet.
The statement says
It also expressed "our closeness to French Catholics and the population of
French President
Macron reached the landmark cathedral on Monday evening and went straight into meetings at the nearby
The defense agency said those were unsuitable for fires like the one at Notre Dame because dumping water on the building could cause the whole structure to collapse.
The mammoth fire that destroyed the spire of
An
A Notre Dame spokesman said earlier that the church's entire wooden interior was in flames.
French President
French writer and historian
Pascal told French broadcaster BFMTV: "It's been 800 years that the Cathedral watches over
He recalled that Notre Dame's bells sounded a death knell after the
Authorities are investigating if renovation work on the cathedral's fire was a factor in starting or spreading the fire.
On Thursday, 16 religious statues were removed from the peak for the first time in over a century to be taken for cleaning and therefore escaped the blaze.
French President
Macron tweeted after the blaze broke out in the cathedral's spire on Monday he was sad to see "a part of us being on fire."
He extended "thoughts for all the Catholics and all the French."
His administration says Macron is heading to Notre Dame.
The deputy mayor of
Speaking to BFMTV, Deputy Mayor
A cathedral spokesman has said the entire wooden interior of the Notre Dame is burning and likely to be destroyed.
Trump wrote on Twitter after the fire broke out Monday: "So horrible to watch the massive fire at
He said: "Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out," adding: "Must act quickly!"
Firefighters were trying to contain the fire when the cathedral's spire collapsed. Authorities say the wooden interior now is burning.
The soaring spire of
A massive fire engulfed the roof of the cathedral in the heart of the French capital on Monday afternoon as Parisians watched in horror.
Notre Dame spokesman
The cathedral is home to incalculable works of art and is one of the world's most famous tourist attractions.
The cause of the blaze isn't yet known, but scaffolding could be seen on the roof of the burning structure. The spire was undergoing renovation.
Police in
The French capital's police department said no deaths have been reported from Monday's fire. The police department didn't say anything about injuries.
The peak of the 12th century cathedral is undergoing a
French media quoted the
Located on the Ile de la Cite in the center of
French President
Flames are shooting out of the roof behind the nave of the 12th cathedral, one of the world's most visited landmarks.
The sight stopped pedestrians in their tracks along the
Authorities said the fire could be linked to renovation work. It's unclear if anyone has been hurt in the fire.
Macron's pre-recorded speech was set to be aired later Monday on French TV. Macron was expected to lay out his plan to address the citizen complaints that gave rise to the yellow vest protests that have rocked
An AP reporter at the scene of Monday's fire says the roof at the back of the cathedral, behind the nave, is in flames and yellow-brown smoke and ash fill the sky.
Hidalgo 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
Firefighters are battling a massive blaze at the French capital's iconic
Flames and black smoke were seen shooting from the base of the medieval church's spire on Monday.
The peak of the church is undergoing a
French media quoted the
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