Pictures from the scene shared on social media show thick black smoke billowing from the cathedral. The mayor of the city, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, writes on X that they do not know what caused the fire. All resources on site have been mobilized. It is in the sprout that the fire is said to have started, writes Rossignol. The spire is under construction and is covered. The project is complicated because of the height and the tall scaffolding, said one of the architects when the restoration was started. The work was supposed to last until 2027. To Reuters, the head of the fire service, Stephane Gouezec, says that the construction work is at a height of 120 metres, and that this is where the fire started. The fire must be under control. 70 firefighters are on the scene, and more specialists are on their way, says Gouezec. The area has been evacuated, and a safety zone has been set up around the cathedral. The extent of the damage is currently unknown. No injured persons have been reported. Rouen is located in Normandy, northwest of Paris. The cathedral is one of the largest in the country. Notre-Dame de Rouen is one of the largest in France. Photo: AFP The cathedral was built in two phases: The Romanesque-inspired part of the building was begun in 1030, and the Gothic in 1145. It was completed in 1506, but the spire has had to be reconstructed several times due to fire. The current spire was completed in 1882. The cathedral is known, among other things, from a number of paintings by ClaudeMonet. It also has its own chapel in memory of Olav the Holy – who was baptized in Rouen in 1013. In 2019, large parts of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris were destroyed by fire. The reconstruction of the cathedral is expected to be completed during 2024. Published 11/07/2024, at 12.44 Updated 11.07.2024, at 15.41
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