The famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France caught fire on Monday and burned throughout the day and into the night as hundreds of Parisian firefighters attempted to stop the spread of flames.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known but the Cathedral was undergoing renovations at the time the fire started and is suspected of being a possible cause. France has also experienced a rash of attacks against Catholic churches in recent months, including arson and vandalism.
The fire started shortly after the Cathedral closed for the day at 6:45 p.m., according to France 24. The Cathedral’s spire and the roof had collapsed from the fire. It has been speculated that not much of the structure, if any, will be saved.
The chief of the Paris Fire Brigade said that firefighters were working to extinguish the fire and save artwork that had been stored in the Cathedral. No deaths or injuries were reported as of Monday night. Parisian firefighters were facing high winds that fueled the flames, making their job fighting the fire even more difficult.
President Donald Trump tweeted on Monday: “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!”
Sending aircraft to drop water on the fire is something that is unlikely to happen, as heavy loads of water coming down on the 12th-century structure could cause it to collapse completely.
Construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral began in 1163 and was completed in 1345. Nearly 13 million people visit the Cathedral each year.
