Notre Dame cathedral ‘saved from total destruction’ after fire tears through icon

A catastrophic fire has engulfed Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the Western world.

Flames that began in the early evening burst through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof.

However a French official and the Paris fire chief said they thought the iconic towers had been saved from the fire, and authorities said the cathedral’s structure was “saved from total destruction”.

Fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet said a major accomplishment of hundreds of firefighters was stopping the flames from spreading to the north tower belfry.

He said one firefighter had been seriously injured in the blaze, while two-thirds of Notre Dame’s roofing “has been ravaged”.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, which drew crowds of people to nearby squares as a huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area.

France 2 television reported police were treating the incident as an accident.

Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot had said the blaze was likely to bring the entire wooden frame of the cathedral down, and the vault of the edifice could be threatened too.

“Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame,” he told French media.

History, priceless art threatened

Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, Notre Dame is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, and one of the most beloved structures in the world.

Situated on the Ile de la Cite, an island in the Seine river, the cathedral’s architecture is famous for, among other things, its many gargoyles and its iconic flying buttresses.

Among the most celebrated artworks inside are its three stained-glass rose windows, placed high up on the west, north and south faces of the cathedral.

Its priceless treasures also include a Catholic relic, the crown of thorns, which is only occasionally displayed, including on Fridays during Lent.

Paris Mayor Anne Hildago said the cathedral’s significant collection of artwork and holy objects had been recovered.

She said residents living near the cathedral were evacuated in preparation for the burning structure’s possible collapse.

French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived at Notre Dame, having cancelled a major televised speech after the blaze broke out.

“Like all our compatriots, I am sad this evening to see this part of all of us burn,” he tweeted.

Mr Macron was treating the fire as a national emergency, Associated Press reported.

The fire came less than a week before Easter amid Holy Week commemorations.

As the cathedral burned and flames lit the sky behind them, Parisians gathered to pray and sing hymns outside the church of Saint Julien Les Pauvres across the river from Notre Dame.

‘The world’s worst light show’

Freelance journalist Sam Davies, speaking to ABC News Breakfast from the bridge in front of Notre Dame cathedral, said a lot of people had come to the site to witness the terrible event.

“It’s been labelled as a disfigurement of the city. People are really just in shock and awe and can’t believe what they’re witnessing,” he said.

“Night is falling now and the crowds are starting to move on, but certainly, for the last two hours during twilight, it was just the world’s worst light show.”

“Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,” said witness Jacek Poltorak, who was watching the fire from a fifth-floor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of the cathedral, one of France’s most visited places.

The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and is famous for featuring in Victor Hugo’s classic novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts millions of tourists every year.

Cathedral was under renovation

Notre Dame had been undergoing renovations, with some sections under scaffolding, while bronze statues were removed last week for works.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had launched an inquiry into the fire.

The first stone of the Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) cathedral was laid in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII, as the medieval city of Paris was growing in population and importance, both as a political and economic centre of the kingdom of France.

It was ransacked by rioting Protestant Huguenots in the 16th century, pillaged again during the French Revolution of the 1790s and left in a state of semi-neglect.

Hugo’s 1831 work led to revived interest in the cathedral and a major “partly botched” restoration that began in 1844.

The wood and lead spire was built during that restoration, according to the cathedral’s website.

The stonework and stained glass of the edifice recreate images and lessons from the Bible.

The Vatican said it was praying for firefighters “and those who are doing everything possible to confront this dramatic situation” on Monday.

“The Holy See 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,” it said in a statement.

In Washington, US President Donald Trump tweeted: “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris”. He suggested first responders use “flying water tankers” to put it out.

France’s civil security agency said “all means” except for water-dropping aircraft were being deployed to tackle the blaze.

The defence agency said dumping water on the building could cause the whole structure to collapse.

Reuters/AP