ALBAWABA - The spire of the medieval cathedral in the French city of Rouen in Normandy caught fire on Thursday while being renovated, insights reminiscent of the 2019 fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The initial television footage airing on BFM showed a thick cloud of smoke rising from the spire. Later photographs revealed smoke through a breach in the white cover enclosing the scaffolding around the spire, but it was no longer ascending in a black column.
Rouen mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol posted on the social media platform X, "The beginning of a fire is underway on the spire of the cathedral of Rouen. The origin is unknown at this stage. All public resources are mobilized".
The cathedral has been evacuated, according to the local municipality, which has jurisdiction over the area, and emergency personnel are on the site.
There was a security barrier surrounding the structure. The municipality stated that no injuries had been reported and that it was unknown how much damage had been done.
