Smoke billows from the spire of Rouen Cathedral in Rouen, northern France, on 11 July 2024. Mayor of Rouen Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol said midday on X that a fire was in progress on the cathedral, showing a photograph of a plume of smoke escaping from scaffolding surrounding the spire. (Patrick Streiff / AFP)
The
spire of the gothic cathedral of the French city of Rouen in Normandy caught
fire on Thursday during renovation works, television images showed.
The
cathedral, one of France’s finest, was painted several times by impressionist
artist Claude Monet in the 19th century.
Television
images on BFM channel showed a dark plume of smoke rising from the spire and
people in the streets below looking up in horror.
The
scene was reminiscent of the devastating fire at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris
in 2019, which also started during renovation works.
The
Rouen cathedral spire had been surrounded by scaffolding and a white cover for
several weeks.
The
local prefecture, which exercises state authority in the region, said the
cathedral had been evacuated and emergency services were on the scene. A
security cordon was in place around the building.
The
prefecture said there were no reports of casualties and the extent of the
damage was unclear for now.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
