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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Kate Lyons (now) and Mattha Busby (earlier)

Cathedral fire under control after spire and roof destroyed – as it happened

We are going to wrap up the live blog now. You can read our new liveblog here.

Updated

Summary

  • A devastating fire that began on Monday afternoon has destroyed the roof of the 850-year-old UNESCO world heritage landmark, whose spectacular Gothic spire collapsed before the eyes of horrified onlookers.

  • The main structure of Notre Dame, as well as its two towers, has been saved, according to the Paris fire brigade chief.

  • The blaze has been brought under control, firefighters confirmed in the early hours of Tuesday morning. “The fire is completely under control. It is partially extinguished, there are residual fires to put out,” said a spokesman.
  • French president Emmanuel Macron said the worst has been avoided, but warned the fire would likely continue to burn for several days, cautioning: “the battle is not yet totally won”. He praised the courage and professionalism of firefighters.

  • Macron asked the country to commit to rebuilding Notre Dame together, announcing an international fundraising campaign to raise money for the repairs. A site taking online donations has been launched.

  • French billionaire François-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of international luxury group Kering, pledged 100 million euros towards rebuilding Notre Dame, according to a statement.

  • One firefighter was injured in the efforts to save the building.

  • Expressions of support and commiseration have poured in from leaders around the world.

Fire now under control

A spokesman for the French firefighters says the cathedral fire is now under control.

“The fire is completely under control. It is partially extinguished, there are residual fires to put out,” said a spokesman.

Paris firefighters have spent hours battling the devastating blaze at Notre Dame, saving the main structure of the Gothic cathedral from total destruction.

Updated

The front pages of French newspapers all lead on the story of the blaze on Tuesday. Their headlines range from “Le coeur en cendres” (The heart in ashes, La Croix), to “Notre Drame” (Our drama, Liberation), to Notre Dame des Larmes (Our Lady of Tears, Le Parisien).

At the same time as the fire broke out at Notre Dame a fire was also burning at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam.

The mosque fire was much smaller than the Notre Dame blaze and seems to be under control. The Palestine News Agency, the official outlet of the Palestinian National Authority, reported “the fire broke out in the guard’s room outside the roof of the Marwani Prayer Room, and the fire brigade of the Islamic Waqf handled the matter successfully.”

Night falls and Notre Dame continues to burn – in pictures

Firefighters douse flames of the burning Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Firefighters douse flames of the burning Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters
Firefighters work to contain the flames and smoke billowing from the roof at the cathedral.
Firefighters work to contain the flames and smoke billowing from the roof at the cathedral. Photograph: Owen Franken/Getty Images
The fire destroyed the roof and the spire of the cathedral.
The fire destroyed the roof and the spire of the cathedral. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters
The fire is expected to continue burning for several days, though the worst is over, said the president.
The fire is expected to continue burning for several days, though the worst is over, said the president. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters
Firefighters stand near Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Firefighters stand near Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Zakaria Abdelkafi/AFP/Getty Images
People lined bridges and streets near the heart of the city as Notre Dame burned.
People lined bridges and streets near the heart of the city as Notre Dame burned. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters
People look at on as the fire continues at Notre Dame Cathedral.
People look at on as the fire continues at Notre Dame Cathedral. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters
People react near the Notre Dame Cathedral after it suffered heavy damage from a fire.
People react near the Notre Dame Cathedral after it suffered heavy damage from a fire. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters
A woman kneels near the cathedral the night of the fire.
A woman kneels near the cathedral the night of the fire. Photograph: Benoît Tessier/Reuters

Some more response from world leaders.

The Vatican said Pope Francis “has seen with shock and sadness the news of the terrible fire that has devastated the Cathedral of Notre Dame, symbol of Christianity in France and in the world.”

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres tweeted that he was “horrified” by the images coming out of Paris.

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has tweeted about the fire.

And some cathedrals are tweeting in solidarity.

Parisians gathered in the streets and sung hymns as they watched the flames engulf Notre Dame.

The fire that broke out on Monday afternoon and quickly spread across the building, caused the spire to collapse.
The fire that broke out on Monday afternoon and quickly spread across the building, caused the spire to collapse. Photograph: Veronique de Viguerie/Getty Images
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral.
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral. Photograph: Veronique de Viguerie/Getty Images

Summary

  • The main structure of Notre Dame, as well as its two towers, has been saved, according to the Paris fire brigade chief.

  • The blaze, which began on Monday afternoon, destroyed the roof of the 850-year-old UNESCO world heritage landmark, whose spectacular Gothic spire collapsed before the eyes of horrified onlookers.
  • French president Emmanuel Macron said the worst has been avoided, but warned the fire would likely continue to burn for several days, cautioning: “the battle is not yet totally won”. He praised the courage and professionalism of firefighters.

  • Macron asked the country to commit to rebuilding Notre Dame together, announcing an international fundraising campaign to raise money for the repairs. A site taking online donations has been launched.

  • French billionaire François-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of international luxury group Kering, pledged 100 million euros towards rebuilding Notre Dame, according to a statement.

  • One firefighter was injured in the efforts to save the building.

  • Expressions of support and commiseration have poured in from leaders around the world.

North rose window appears to have survived – report

There are reports that the North Rose stained glass window at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris has survived.
There are reports that the North Rose stained glass window at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris has survived. Photograph: David Davies/PA

Laurent Valdiguié, a French journalist on the scene, reports that the north rose stained glass window – La Rosace Nord – “seems to have held”.

“On the street, on the ground, no debris of stained glass. Just old broken stones... ‘We stay worried,’ whispers a fireman,” he tweeted.

Updated

The Fondation du patrimonie, a private heritage foundation, has launched an international appeal to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral, “in order for Our Lady to be reborn from her ashes”.

Some more images from inside the cathedral.

Smoke is seen in the interior of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris after the catastrophic fire engulfed the upper reaches of Paris’ soaring Notre Dame Cathedral.
Smoke is seen in the interior of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris after the catastrophic fire engulfed the upper reaches of Paris’ soaring Notre Dame Cathedral. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/AP
The Paris fire brigade chief said the main structure of the cathedral had been saved.
The Paris fire brigade chief said the main structure of the cathedral had been saved. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/AP
The fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital.
The fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA

French billionaire pledges €100m to rebuilding efforts

Francois-Henri Pinault has pledged €100m to rebuild Notre Dame.
Francois-Henri Pinault has pledged €100m to rebuild Notre Dame. Photograph: Éric Piermont/AFP/Getty Images

Agence France-Presse reports that François-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of international luxury group Kering, which owns brands like Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen, has pledged 100 million euros towards rebuilding Notre-Dame, according to a statement.

YouTube algorithm links Notre Dame with 9/11

YouTube has linked the Notre Dame fire with the 9/11 terror attacks in its “knowledge panels”, banners meant to provide context and related information.

YouTube users watching the live stream of the burning building in the United States and South Korea were greeted with knowledge panels pushing Encyclopedia Britannica articles about the September 11 attacks. The platform introduced the knowledge panel feature in 2018 to cut down on misinformation, but in this case the tool created false associations between fire reportedly caused by accident and the 2001 US-based terrorist attack.

The platform’s automated tools may have mistaken the visuals of the burning building for 9/11 footage, according to Vagelis Papalexakis, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of California, Riverside who studies machine learning used in similar systems.

YouTube did not immediately respond to request for comment, but said in a widely circulated statement it has removed the panels on live streams of the fire following criticism.

The full story is here.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has tweeted:

“I feel a profound sadness before the tragedy. France is touched in its flesh, in its heart, in its identity, in its history. I would like to share my pain with Catholics and we all French people for whom Notre Dame is a symbol. That everyone is mobilising already and is already helping the reconstruction .”

A striking image of firefighters entering the cathedral in the wake of the fire.

French firefighters enter the Notre Dame cathedral as flames are burning the roof in Paris, France.
French firefighters enter the Notre Dame cathedral as flames are burning the roof in Paris, France. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA

Hello, this is Kate Lyons taking over from Mattha Busby.

Emmanuel Macron has committed to rebuilding the cathedral and says a national subscription will be launched tomorrow to raise money for the efforts.

The English translation is:

“This Notre-Dame cathedral, we will rebuild it. All together. It is a part of our French destiny. I am committed to this: from tomorrow a national subscription will be launched and far beyond our borders.”

Barack Obama, the former US President, has tweeted:

Notre Dame Cathedral echoes the announcement that the main structure has been “saved and preserved”.

Updated

This article from the LA Times archive, courtesy of a reader, pours scorn on the idea that flying water tankers are actually useful. You may remember Trump tweeting earlier to suggest deploying them, “quickly”.

Although the sight of air tankers, referred to disparagingly as ‘CNN drops’ by fire officials, “swooping toward a wildfire”can be reassuring, it is sometimes “a needless and expensive exercise to appease politicians”.

Fire commanders say they are often pressured to order planes and helicopters into action on major fires even when the aircraft won’t do any good. Such pressure has resulted in needless and costly air operations, experienced fire managers said in interviews.

The reason for the interference, they say, is that aerial drops of water and retardant make good television. They’re a highly visible way for political leaders to show they’re doing everything possible to quell a wildfire, even if it entails overriding the judgment of incident commanders on the ground.

Firefighters have developed their own vernacular for such spectacles. They call them “CNN drops.”

“A lot of people do a lot of things for publicity and for politics that don’t need to be done,” said Jim Ziobro, fire aviation chief for the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The "worst has been avoided", says Macron

Macron says the worst has been avoided “although the battle is not yet totally won” and that “we will rebuild Notre Dame together”, announcing an international fundraising campaign is to be launched and calling on the world’s “greatest talents” to help.

The French president credited the “courage” and “great professionalism” of firefighters with sparing Notre Dame’s facade and two landmark towers from being destroyed.

The fire will go on for several days. What’s happened this evening is obviously a terrible drama. [Emergency services fought the fire] with extreme courage, professionalism and determination... I would like to thank the firefighters on behalf of the nation.

At this time, the worst has been avoided. Even if the building hasn’t been completely destroyed, the next few hours will be difficult, but thanks to the efforts of so many, the facade has been saved.

Notre Dame is our history, our imagination, where we’ve lived all our great moments, and is the epicentre of our lives.

It’s the story of our books, our paintings. It’s the cathedral for all French people, even if they have never been. But it is burning and I know this sadness will be felt by all of our citizens.

Tomorrow a national subscription will be launched for people around the country to help rebuild this great Notre Dame. Because that’s what the French people want. That is what their history requires. Because that is our destiny.

Updated

Rector of Notre-Dame, Patrick Jacquin, has reportedly told local media that the Crown of Thorns and the Tunic of St Louis have both been recovered.

However, fears remain for the many priceless artworks and artefacts still housed inside the cathedral.

A priest wipes the Crown of Thorns, a relic of the passion of Christ- at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
A priest wipes the Crown of Thorns, a relic of the passion of Christ- at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images

Fire started accidentally - preliminary investigation

Prosecutors believe the fire started accidentally, based on their preliminary investigation.

They later said they had ruled out arson and do not believe the fire was terror-related but police will conduct an investigation into “involuntary destruction caused by fire”.

Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris.
Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris. Photograph: Laurent Benhamou/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

A French official and the Paris fire chief have told the Associated Press that they think Notre Dame Cathedral’s landmark rectangular towers have been saved from the fire that caused horrific damage.

Paris fire commander Jean-Claude Gallet said that a major accomplishment of the hundreds of firefighters was stopping the flames from spreading to the north tower belfry. “We can consider that the main structure of Notre-Dame has been saved and preserved.”

The structure of the cathedral has been saved, and the fire has been stopped from spreading to the northern belfry, Paris police said.

The junior interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, said the authorities remained “prudent” but were “much more optimistic” than they were earlier tonight.

He defended the fact water-bombing planes were not been used, as suggested by US President Donald Trump, saying that such action would have posed a “major danger” for the structure.

He added that the fire had “decreased in intensity” and “the structure of the building is saved, including the north tower.”

Gallet said two-thirds of Notre Dame’s roofing “has been ravaged.” He said one firefighter was injured, adding that fire crews would keep working overnight to cool down the structure.

Updated

Notre Dame Cathedral has been much beloved yet also neglected down the centuries, says a French historian.

Middle Ages specialist Claude Gauvard told AFP there was no overstating the site’s cultural resonance, but she added it had not always been treated with due reverence.

Notre Dame “is a symbol of Paris, a symbol of peace, togetherness and concord... which occupies an exceptional site at the heart of the city.”

It is also kilometre zero - the spot from which all distances to other cities from the French capital are measured.

Guavard says:

For me it is perhaps one of the most harmonious of cathedrals, symbolising at once the work of the craftsmen who built it - though through the ages it has been much loved and yet unloved.

Notre-Dame de Paris is much loved by the millions of French people and foreigners who visit each year - yet they enter and go out again, I am sure, without quite understanding just what this cathedral is.

It was much mutilated during both the Renaissance and the 18th century - for example, they didn’t hesitate to hack away at the main entrance to get through the king’s dais!

It needed all the 19th century labours of Prosper Merimee, Victor Hugo, (Eugene) Viollet-le-Duc and (Jean-Baptiste) Lassus which allowed the Gothic art to be restored to its rightful place.

The ongoing works finally got started - and it was high time, and perhaps even a little late. I went up to the foot of the spire (before the renovations began) and some of the brickwork was disjointed, held in place by a grate to prevent it falling...

Notre Dame’s problem is that it comes under several jurisdictions: the Archbishopric, Paris, historic monuments, etc. That complicates its maintenance. I hope that national, indeed international donations will be forthcoming to finance the restoration as it’s going to be very costly.

Updated

Two towers saved, but fireman seriously injured - reports

The two towers of Notre Dame have been saved, a firefighting official has told Reuters.

However, a fireman has reportedly been seriously injured.

Flames on the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Flames on the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Ian Langsdon/EPA

Updated

Main structure "saved and preserved"

Notre Dame’s main structure has been “saved and preserved”, a Paris fire official has announced.

“We can consider that the two towers of the north belfry Notre-Dame have been saved,” he tells BFMTV. “The structure of Our Lady is saved as a whole.”

Updated

There are unconfirmed reports that Notre Dame’s three medieval rose windows – la rosace ouest (1225) la rosace nord (1250) la rosace sud (1250) – have exploded in the intense heat.

Ben Derbyshire, President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, says:

The news of the tragedy this evening is of immeasurable significance worldwide. The loss of the roof and spire of Notre Dame, and possibly the stone vault too, is an irreplaceable blow to the heritage of French Gothic architecture. Our heart goes out to the people of France, and to lovers of our shared cultural heritage wherever they are.

This image appears to have been taken about half an hour ago from a French police drone, as around 400 firefighters attempt to stop the destruction of the cathedral.

Representatives from the Church of England have spoken out, as the fire continues to cause significant damage.

The Church of England’s director of cathedrals and church buildings, Becky Clark, says:

The fire and the destruction it has caused are heart-breaking. We stand together in prayer with all who love Notre Dame: its worshipping community, those who have visited, and those who only know it from afar. We understand their sense of loss, and the uplifting connection people feel with cathedrals and churches the world over.

But no matter the destruction, the spirit of what it means to be a cathedral can and does survive such catastrophes.

In England, the spire at Lincoln collapsed in the 1500s, St Paul’s was destroyed in the Great Fire of London and Coventry was destroyed by bombs. All have been rebuilt, sometimes taking on new forms, to stand as reminders of eternity and resurrection which are the foundation of the Christian faith.

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, tweeted: “Tonight we pray for the firefighters tackling the tragic Notre Dame fire – and for everyone in France and beyond who watches and weeps for this beautiful, sacred place where millions have met with Jesus Chris. Nous sommes avec vous.”

Updated

The Guardian view on the Notre Dame fire: we share France’s terrible loss:

It feels as though the very heart of France and the soul of Europe have been suddenly and viciously ripped out. The fire that coursed through large sections of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday evening was an act of blind and terrible destruction that causes a great stab of emotional pain to us all.

The cathedral will rise again in time. This terrible fire is not an event that should be trivialised or banalised. Yet, at a moment like this, how foolish it seems to pretend that we are not all Europeans. We stand with France in its hour of heartbreak. We will never, ever, turn away.

Churches around France are ringing their bells in solidarity with Notre Dame.

Updated

Margot Fassler, a professor of theology and an expert on Medieval cathedrals who has led tours of the Notre Dame Cathedral, says:

The Cathedral ‘Notre Dame de Paris’ is the cradle of late medieval music. Much of the imagination of those involved in European, religion, culture and music is tied to this place.

Late 12th- and early 13th- century polyphonic repertory created at Notre Dame has provided an understanding of how musicians learned to capture rhythm in their notational systems. The innovative musicians Adam of St. Victor, Leonin, and Perotin were all connected to the cathedral in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

Although the building has been constantly reshaped over time, much of the architecture and sculpture dates back to the original building, which was completed in around a century beginning in the 1160s. The thirteenth-century rose windows and the organs are assumed to be among the casualties.

The latest from our Paris correspondent:

The British foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has tweeted:

Updated

For those of you just joining our coverage of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire, where a major operation is under way to save the historic building, here is a timeline of events courtesy of Reuters.

  • 6:50pm local time (1650 GMT): Fire starts in roof of Notre Dame Cathedral, according to firefighters
  • 7:07pm: A Reuters journalist sees smoke and flames at Notre Dame from a distance.
  • 7:40pm: Fire spreads to the giant spire. The French president cancels planned TV address to the nation to go to the scene.
  • 7:53pm: Cathedral’s spire collapses.
  • 8:07 pm: Entire roof collapses,.
  • 8:25 pm: Île de la Cité, the island on which Notre Dame sits, is evacuated by police.

Updated

Firefighters at the scene have told Reuters that their efforts are being directed towards preventing the collapse of the northern tower and saving the artwork at the back of the cathedral.

The Notre Dame cathedral has been in flames since the beginning of the evening in Paris.
The Notre Dame cathedral has been in flames since the beginning of the evening in Paris. Photograph: Le Pictorium/Barcroft Images

The most senior firefighter in Paris says it is unclear whether they will be able to keep it from spreading and causing more destruction.

“We are not sure we are capable of stopping the spreading” to Notre Dame’s second tower and belfry,” said Jean-Claude Gallet at the scene as his crews worked outside and inside the iconic cathedral. “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 96-metre high church spire.

Updated

The Catholic Church in the Holy Land said it was praying that the fire was “not intentional” while expressing solidarity with the church in France.

“We pray that there will be no injuries, for the fire not to be intentional and for least possible damage to the Church,” a statement released in Jerusalem said. “We express our solidarity with (the) Church in France.”

A Vatican spokesman said: “The terrible news of the fire that has devastated the cathedral of Notre Dame, symbol of Christianity in France and in the world, was received in the Holy See with shock and sadness,” a spokesman said in a statement.

“We express our closeness with French Catholics and with the Parisian population. We pray for the firefighters and for all those who are trying their best to tackle this dramatic situation.”

It added that the medieval church was “a symbol of Christianity in France and across the world”.

Updated

The archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit has tweeted a message to “all the priests of Paris”:

The firefighters are still fighting to save the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris. The frame, the roof and the spire are consumed. Let us pray. If you wish, you can ring the bells of your churches to invite prayer.

Updated

As night fell, the dull glow of the flames, dampened by jets of water from firefighters’ hoses, continued to flicker across the water on the Île Saint-Louis.

The crowd of onlookers - residents, Parisians and tourists, some hunched over bridge parapets, others standing open-mouthed or sat in shock on cafe terraces overlooking the cathedral, stayed.

Many wondered how the fire could have been allowed to happen. “It’s a national tragedy,” said Paul Rechter, who lives in the Marais, a few hundred metres from Notre Dame. “It’s a symbol of France that is collapsing there, part of our national identity going up in smoke. Part of our history, our culture, our literature ... How on earth could it have happened? Why were there no precautions?”

His wife Agnes said her parents and grandparents had lived on the Île Saint-Louis and the Île de la Cité. “We have known the cathedral since our childhood,” she said. “It’s part of our personal history, too.” She said she thought most of all of “the centuries of work, of craftsmanship, that went into that building ... The number of men who have worked on it down the years.”

People cry and pray as they look at flames burning the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
People cry and pray as they look at flames burning the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA

Pierre Mesnage, 44, has lived on the Île de la Cité for the past 20 years in an apartment that overlooks the cathedral. His wife and children had already gone to stay with friends but, on his way back from work, he had stopped off to survey the extent of the damage.

“I cried when I saw it, honestly,” he said.

“I wept. It’s see that building every single day, all day if I’m at home. It’s a drama. A personal and a national tragedy. I’m a Catholic, too, so there’s an added significance. I really don’t understand how it could happen. This is an emblem of Paris, an emblem of France. Why wasn’t it protected?”

Ruud van der Leij, a computer studies teacher from Rotterdam, said he had been staring at the flames for more than two hours. “You can’t look away,” he said. “It’s awful and fascinating at the same time. A terrible, awful, sad affair. Such a symbol.”

Marina Valleix, 42, said she had come specially from her home in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. “I do treasure hunts with clues, for children, round tha big Paris monuments,” she said. “I’m here more or less every weekend. I had to come and see.”

The disaster “has got to me, definitely”, she said. “I’m confident it will be rebuilt, and I know Notre Dame has already burned, the spire has already fallen in the past. I know we can and will rebuild. But still, it’s sad. To see it like this, it’s terribly sad.”

French firefighters try to extinguish a fire as flames are burning the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
French firefighters try to extinguish a fire as flames are burning the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA

Updated

No guarantee Notre Dame will be saved, authorities say

The French deputy interior minister has said saving Notre Dame “is not certain,” according to AFP.

It follows a similar announcement from French fire services moments before. They said they are “not sure” if the fire can be stopped.

Updated

Somewhat prophetically, the BBC’s Travel programme reported last week on the repairs the church needed and the “massive costs” that were required in order to restore Notre Dame, before the outbreak of the fire.

Pollution, acid rain and age have taken their toll, the head of the Friends of Notre Dame charity, Michel Picaud said, pointing out dissolved statues and structurally weakened parts of the 13th-century building.

Within 10 years, we could see a complete collapse of the iconic monument, he warned.

The massive cost of saving Notre Dame

This file photo taken on July 14, 2017, shows an aerial view of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
This file photo taken on July 14, 2017, shows an aerial view of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Jean-Sébastien Evrard/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she wishes France strength “as they grieve and rebuild”.

Here is the first of what is likely to be many front pages from news organisations around the world, from French paper Le Figaro.

Next hour and a half is "crucial" says Paris fire department

A spokesman for the Paris fire department tells Reuters that the next hour and a half is “crucial” in order to see if the fire can be contained.

Hundreds of firefighters are at the scene, with the Paris fire brigade saying they are doing everything they can to bring “the terrible fire” under control.

“All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral,” it tweeted.

Here is the latest photo we have as night begins to fall:

Firefighters douse flames rising from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Firefighters douse flames rising from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

Theresa May says her thoughts are with France.

If you are at the scene, please do get in touch on Twitter and share your accounts, thoughts and photos.

Here is more from the the Guardian’s correspondents Angelique Christafis and Jon Henley who are speaking to tearful witnesses at the scene gathered on the neighbouring Île Saint Louis across from the cathedral.

“We are staying just down the street and heard the sirens,” says a visibly distressed Fred Phelps, 72, from Sebastopol in Sonoma County, California, who is in Paris on holiday with his wife Diane, 71, and had booked a guided tour of the cathedral and tower for Wednesday.

“It’s one of the things I wanted to see before I died,” he says. “We saw what was happening and we both welled up. It’s terrible, just terrible. And to see the face of the Parisians, and hear the emotion in their voices. We don’t understand French, but we understand this. We’re both very moved.”

Bystanders look on as flames and smoke billow from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Bystanders look on as flames and smoke billow from the roof at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Geoffroy van der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images

Marie-Anna Ecorchard from Morbihan in Brittant, visiting her children who are working in Paris with her husband Louis, says she was on the Île Saint Louis on a cafe terrace when she saw the first plumes of smoke rise into the air at about 6.50pm.

“It’s dreadful. We’ve seen people sobbing, tears pouring down their faces. This is part of the heritage of Paris, not just of Paris but of all France. It’s just terrible to see such a magnificent building go up in flames. You feel it almost physically.”

When the cathedral’s spire collapsed soon after 7pm there was “like a huge gasp, a collective cry” from everyone watching, Ecorchard says. “What can you say? Seeing it, just across the river, it’s almost like watching a person suffer ...”

Alice Lohr, 26, a lawyer from Paris, says she was “immensely sad. This is a great historic monument, part of the beauty of Paris, part of the history of France. It’s literature, it’s Victor Hugo, musical theatre, the Hunchback – it’s just such a big thing in your life.

The cathedral dates back to the 12th century and played a role in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

“When you are a Parisian and you love Paris, this is like a body-blow,” Lohr said. “It’s actually quite hard to describe how it feels. Terribly, terribly sad.”

Updated

Macron arrives at the scene

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has arrived at the scene of the fire and is meeting senior police officers.

Reports are circulating that the fire has spread to one of Notre Dame’s rectangular towers, as the emergency services try to salvage the art and other priceless pieces stored in the cathedral.

The deputy mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, says the cathedral has suffered “colossal damages”, while a cathedral spokesman says the entire wooden interior is burning and likely to be destroyed.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, Minister of Culture Franck Riester and French President Emmanuel Macron gather near the Notre Dame Cathedral as its burns.
The French prime minister, Edouard Philippe, the minister of culture, Franck Riester, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, gather near the Notre Dame Cathedral as its burns. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/EPA

Updated

French firefighters have tweeted a photo of themselves at the scene:

Updated

Melania Trump, the US first lady, has tweeted:

Updated

Firefighter Gregg Favre has tweeted this thread discussing how old churches are built and whether the walls of the cathedral can be saved.

Vincent Nichols, the Catholic archbishop of Westminster and the most senior catholic leader in England and Wales, says:

The shock at the outbreak of this fire is spreading round the world. It is an iconic building visited by millions but more importantly is a symbol of faith which is at the heart of Europe.

We therefore all pray that the fire is extinguished quickly and with a shared effort the building made good.

Updated

Emma O’Carroll who works in haute couture in Paris in a nearby fashion studio says that it appears the fire started at the back of the building.

People are just wandering around flabbergasted. There are thousands of people on the streets. Police have pushed us back to nearly 1km away.

There are helicopters, a huge crane dousing the flying buttresses with water. There are police on the river, stopping all the bateaux mouche (the tour boats) going by.

It looks like it started at the back around the scaffolding where refurbishment was going on. It is unbelievable, it’s just such a sad day.

Updated

The French civil defence and crisis management agency have dismissed President Trump’s suggestion that flying water tankers could put the fire out.

“The drop of water by air on this type of building could result in the collapse of the entire structure along with the firefighers who are currently doing their best to save Notre Dame,” it tweeted.

“Helicopter or airplane, the weight of the water and the intensity of the drop at low altitude could weaken the structure of Notre-Dame and result in collateral damage to the buildings in the vicinity.”

Firefighters douse the cathedral with water from hoses.
Firefighters douse the cathedral with water from hoses. Photograph: Pierre Suu/Getty Images

Updated

Angelique Chrisafis, the Guardian’s Paris correspondent, is speaking to witnesses at the scene.

Standing at the police cordon, Camille, 20, from Normandy, a history student at the Sorbonne, says: “There’s a feeling of total sadness and also anger. It’s our heritage. People in the crowd have been singing hymns. Whether you’re Christian or not, part of our history is going up in smoke.”

A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
A woman reacts as she watches the flames engulf the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Geoffroy van der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images

A 55-year-old furniture restorer, who did not wish to give his name, says he arrived at the start of the fire and watched the flames move from the back of the cathedral towards the bell towers.

“This is a major moment,” he says. “This building is a symbol of Catholicism. It’s a symbol of Paris.”

A group watch Notre Dame cathedral burn.
A group watch Notre Dame cathedral burn. Photograph: Lewis Joly/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

World leaders and politicians have continued to express their solidarity with France.

The president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, described the fire as a horror and a sad spectacle. “I am following minute by minute the fire of which Notre-Dame de Paris is the prey,” a press release read. “Our Lady of Paris belongs to the whole of mankind. It has inspired so many writers, so many painters, so many philosophers, so many visitors from all over.

“What a sad spectacle. What a horror. I share the emotion of the French nation which is also ours.”

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said, via her spokesman’s Twitter: “It is with profound sadness that I am witnessing the events in Paris. I am saddened to see these terrible images of Notre Dame, symbol of France and of our European culture, in flames. Our thoughts go to our French friends.”

Labour MP Yvette Cooper said she was in Paris and saw the spire of Notre Dame fall. “Have just come away from the bank of the Seine after the spire fell as I can’t bear to watch any more,” she tweeted. “Fearful for anyone close to the flames, and aghast that centuries of history and beauty could disappear into smoke so fast.”

Updated

Notre Dame Cathedral, the most visited landmark in Paris, is one of the city’s oldest and most recognisable buildings.

People look at the flames burning the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
People look at the flames burning the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Photograph: Julien de Rosa/EPA

Here is a potted history from the Press Association:

  • Work began on Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral in 1163.
  • The first stone of the original structure was laid in front of Pope Alexander III after the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, proposed the cathedral after his election in 1160.
  • It grew iconic in popular culture through several artistic works, including the Victor Hugo novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which was published in 1831 and adapted by Disney in 1996.
  • The cathedral also houses a beehive over the sacristy, which was added in spring 2013.
  • The original structure was completed nearly 200 years later, in 1345, and its name literally translates to “Our Lady of Paris”.
  • About 13 million people now visit the Catholic landmark every year - more than 30,000 every day on average - according to its official website, and it is believed to be the most visited structure in the French capital.

Updated

My colleague Angelique Chrisafis, the Guardian’s Paris correspondent, is speaking to witnesses at the scene.

“I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” said one elderly woman, who did not wish to give her name. “If this burns down, it’s a piece of history that goes.”

Alexis, 35, who works from home in finance, said he rushed to the scene after seeing the first images on TV. “I rushed down as soon as I saw what was happening. I never thought it would be this depressing.”

Over the course of an hour, he had watched as the flames rise from the roof and sections of the roof had collapsed. “When I got here, the roof was still there. I slowly watched it fall.”

Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot told French media: “Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame.”

Updated

The fire broke out at around 4.50pm GMT, a spokesperson for the cathedral told Agence France-Presse.

Fire trucks were seen speeding through Paris towards the scene on the Île de la Cité – an island in the Seine at the heart of Paris – while the Paris police department called on residents to avoid the area and to “make way for rescue vehicles” on Twitter as hundreds of people have gathered on bridges and on the banks of the river to witness the tragic scene.

People watch Notre Dame cathedral burning in Paris.
People watch Notre Dame cathedral burning in Paris. Photograph: Lori Hinnant/AP

Updated

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, says London stands in sorrow with Paris.

Updated

Reuters have reported that there are no known injuries yet, and the junior interior minister Laurent Nuñez authorities said authorities were still examining the cause of the fire.

The Paris prosecutor’s office has announced it has started an inquiry, and Emmanuel Macron is to go to the scene after he cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give later tonight.

Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris.
Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris. Photograph: Thibault Camus/AP

Witnesses have described the scenes of devastation. “Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,” said Jacek Poltorak, watching the fire from a fifth-floor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of the cathedral.

Firefighters cleared the area around Notre-Dame, which sits on an island in the river Seine and marks the very centre of Paris, as buildings in the vicinity were evacuated. “Everything is collapsing,” a police officer told Reuters.

Updated

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has tweeted to express his sorrow to see Notre Dame in flames.

“Our Lady of Paris in flames. Emotion of a whole nation. Thought for all Catholics and for all French. Like all our countrymen, I’m sad tonight to see this part of us burn.”

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, tweeted:

A terrible fire is under way at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The fire brigade are trying to control the flames. We are mobilized on the spot in close connection with the [Catholic Archdiocese of Paris] . I invite everyone to respect the security perimeter.

Donald Trump, meanwhile, suggested using flying water tankers to douse the flames.

The deputy Labour leader, Tom Watson, tweeted that he hoped Parisians could save their beautiful cathedral.

Updated

This is the dramatic moment that the spire collapsed.

Here is the devastating fall from another angle:

Updated

Firefighters battle fire at Notre Dame Cathedral

A fire has broken out at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, with firefighters attempting to contain the blaze which police said began accidentally and could be linked to renovation work at the site.

The spire of the medieval cathedral collapsed after flames burst through the roof, and smoke can be seen billowing from the famous monument as a huge plume of smoke rests above the 850-year old Gothic building.

We’ll bring you updates as they develop.

Updated

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