Fire breaks out in French historic Rouen cathedral

(MENAFN) A fire broke out on Thursday on the spire of the Notre-Dame de Rouen Cathedral, located in the capital city of France's Normandy region, according to local authorities. The incident was first reported by the city's mayor, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, who posted a photo of the spire engulfed in smoke on the social media platform X. In response, the Metropole Rouen Normandie announced on its official X account that all public resources were being mobilized to address the situation.

Initial reports suggest that the fire was caused by "bad handling" during restoration work on the metal spire. Local media indicated that the fire began while workers were scraping the metal parts of the spire to repaint them, a process that involved complex scaffolding structures due to the significant height of the site. Richard Duplat, the chief architect of Historic Monuments, described the challenges posed by the site's height and extensive scaffolding to a French news channel.

This incident brings to mind the 2019 fire at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, which similarly occurred during restoration work. The previous fire caused significant damage to the historic Parisian landmark, underscoring the potential risks involved in restoration efforts on such monumental structures.

The Notre-Dame de Rouen Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece, is a significant historical and cultural site in France, making the fire a cause for concern among heritage preservationists and the local community. Emergency services are currently working to control and extinguish the blaze, with efforts focused on preventing further damage to the iconic spire and the cathedral itself.

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