It took a blaze that nearly destroyed Paris’ most famous cathedral to reveal a gap in global safety regulations for lead, a toxic building material found across many historic cities.
Notre Dame kept Christmas going even during two world wars — a beacon of hope amid the bloodshed. Yet, an accidental fire in peacetime finally stopped the cathedral from celebrating Midnight Mass this year, for the first time in over two centuries.
There is no evidence to link fire at Notre Dame Cathedral and Al-Aqsa Mosque. But the timing has amazed everyone.
Pope Francis, Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen all expressed their sadness.
A few dozen pedestrians gathered around at first, watching the flames lick their way toward the nave. Soon it was hundreds of people, sobered by the smoke belching from one of the world's most recognizable symbols of France.
Its iconic twin bell towers remained visibly intact. Paris officials said the world famous 18th century organ that boasts 8,000 pipes also appeared to have survived, along with other treasures inside the cathedral, after a plan to safeguard heritage was quickly put into action.
Paris' 850-year-old church Notre Dame caught fire at 6:30 pm on Monday. A Gothic spire of the church collapse post the fire.
The cathedral spokesperson told AFP that the roof frame of Notre-Dame "is going up in flames". The spire of the cathedral has collapsed due to the huge fire, deputy Paris mayor has said.
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