Editor’s note: Please scroll down for updates.
Scary footage out of Paris today, as Notre Dame cathedral is being engulfed in flames:
Flames from roof of Notre Dame #NotreDame #paris pic.twitter.com/k7PT2hEOn2
— Tristan Redman (@TristanAJE) April 15, 2019
Le feu a Notre Dame pic.twitter.com/CLQYvu0KGy
— Eric Coursin (@ecoursin) April 15, 2019
#ÚltimaHora: incendi a la catedral Notre-Dame de #París. Ara per ara se'n desconeixen les causes i l'origen.pic.twitter.com/qOqO2hpCNw
— El Pregoner (@_ElPregoner) April 15, 2019
Horrible #NotreDame pic.twitter.com/BndHQRO1b5
— Solveig Godeluck (@Solwii) April 15, 2019
#NotreDame on fire ? pic.twitter.com/2o6fdFmLbC
— Liam Taylor (@LiamMTaylor) April 15, 2019
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is on fire. pic.twitter.com/DG1U8FKQov
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) April 15, 2019
BREAKING NEWS: Huge fire reported at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.pic.twitter.com/4J5NgD2ftM
— Breaking News Feed (@pzf) April 15, 2019
Roommate just sent this of Notre Dame on fire in Paris woowwww pic.twitter.com/NEMs33AHYD
— Process Guy (@leistomania93) April 15, 2019
The Notre Dame is on fire, and it appears to be getting rapidly worse ??pic.twitter.com/C3s8zydFER
— Henry Jones (@hthjones) April 15, 2019
This is godawful. Looks like the fire started around a spire, it’s spreading fast. pic.twitter.com/PGqGNYTQ5A
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) April 15, 2019
Notre Dame cathedral in Paris is burning and my heart is breaking. Awful.pic.twitter.com/eduijPfCJN
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) April 15, 2019
It may have started accidentally:
BREAKING: Police officials tell local media that fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris started due to an accident from ongoing renovations pic.twitter.com/lLaJPTQBs7
— LIVE Breaking News (@NewsBreaking) April 15, 2019
Recommended
Fire at Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral was started by accident and is related to ongoing work, according to France 2, citing police. Either way it is terrible and a hideous blow to the symbolic heart of the city
— Luke Baker (@BakerLuke) April 15, 2019
We’ll continue to update this post with developments. In the meantime, please pray that the fire can be stopped and Notre Dame saved.
***
Update:
Oh no:
"The roof has entirely collapsed," says @France24_en reporter. @notredameparis
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 15, 2019
#NotreDame: 'The roof has entirely collapsed, there are flames coming out the back of the cathedral as if it was a torch'@charli, Journalist at France 24, at the scene of the fire. pic.twitter.com/2B0IrMiDcL
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) April 15, 2019
The iconic spire has fallen:
Effondrement. #NotreDame pic.twitter.com/C9SQYcZwHk
— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) April 15, 2019
The tower collapsed. My God.
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) April 15, 2019
Here’s the video of Notre Dame cathedral’s spire collapsing amidst the flames.pic.twitter.com/uR2LWrIFGJ
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) April 15, 2019
Horrible. Absolutely horrible.
This is catastrophic. https://t.co/msYBPFNveU
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) April 15, 2019
***
Update:
This thread is worth reading if you’re wondering why firefighters are having such a difficult time containing and stopping the fire:
After my last tweet, I got a couple DMs asking firefighting related questions about the #NotreDameFire.
I -like most of you- are watching from a world away. But if you’re interested in some profession specific things I’d note/be concerned of, you can follow this thread. pic.twitter.com/golMnbYsDK
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
The first issue is how old churches are built – heavy timber construction with large open spaces and very few (if any in a church like #NotreDame) fire stops.
A firestop is a passive fire protection system made up of various components and used to seal openings in buildings. pic.twitter.com/C5pOMPUa5r
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
If the fire started high on the structure, there is a chance that Paris Fire can save the walls and unimpinged areas of the Cathedral.
But the roof has basically been surrendered at this point. The peak, the lack of access and fire spread means almost certain loss.
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
In firefighting there is something called a "trenchcut" that basically opens a large roof up from peak to gutter, allowing space to stop fire spread.
Given the peak of the #cathedral roof and advanced fire conditions, this is an unlikely option in the main area of the building. pic.twitter.com/Rvo96lL1A7
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
Even if arial waterways (think hook and ladders with prepiped hoses) could reach the roofline, it is difficult to see how they would get an angle that would get water on the fire – its just too high.
So this means you have to put firefighters inside… pic.twitter.com/YhyNZRYzBH
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
Inside is a whole other problem. The primary option is large 2.5" fire hoses.
These are heavy, difficult to maneuver and against a fire like this, largely ineffective. pic.twitter.com/5tt3yDUpSo
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
This option also means placing responders on the inside as the roof is falling down around them.
And we aren't talking shingles.
This is heavy timber construction. Often 12"x12" in old churches, perhaps bigger in a #Cathedral this old. pic.twitter.com/RwO3N1Qrjw
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
Another concern is accountability.
Life safety is always the first priority, even in historic landmarks.#NotreDame was undergoing a renovation. This means that there were more people there than normal.
Is the #Cathedral staff all out?
The construction workers?
Visitors?— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
If unaccounted for, where were they and how many? What does a rescue task force look like? How many responders do you place in additional harms way for unconfirmed reports?
I don't have these answers at a distance, but the responders on scene are asking them and forming plans.
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
And lets pause to remember how fires actually burn.
You need oxygen, fuel, heat and a chemical chain reaction.
If you take any one of these away (cool material, remove fuel or oxygen, or interrupt the CCR) the fire will go out. pic.twitter.com/fgakKat1Mp
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
Removing the fuel is a no go. Churches have no shortage of things to burn.
The heat that a fire this size is putting off is tremendous. Little options for interrupting that.
The chemical chain reaction is off to the races. That horse left the stable in the first five minutes.
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
That leaves the oxygen.
Unfortunately, even if the roof had not burnt off, churches are nearly impossible to control ventilation in.
Their design is to be open and airy. Great for Sunday worship, terrible for managing fire spread. pic.twitter.com/08KbCViTTX
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019
Meanwhile:
Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot tells French media the entire wooden interior of the 12th-century landmark is burning and likely to be destroyed: 'Nothing will remain from the frame.'
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) April 15, 2019
Hopefully all will not be lost:
Paris emergency services are now trying to salvage the artwork stored in Notre Dame Cathedral
— DW News (@dwnews) April 15, 2019
Please continue to pray.
***
Update:
Oh no:
BREAKING: The massive fire in Paris has spread to one of Notre Dame's iconic rectangular towers. https://t.co/wl6CnvLa3q
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 15, 2019
***
Update:
Some good news at last:
Une bonne nouvelle : toutes les œuvres d’art ont été sauvées. Le trésor de la cathédrale est intact, la couronne d’épines, les saints sacrements. #NOTRE_DAME
— Nicolas Delesalle (@KoliaDelesalle) April 15, 2019
One good news : every artefacts have been saved. The cathedral treasure is intact, including the Crown of Thorns https://t.co/3USK6btckz
— soniastolper (@soniastolper) April 15, 2019
Thank God.
I am weeping. Absolutely weeping. Thank you God. Thank you. https://t.co/puDCRxR2hB
— Ellen L. Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) April 15, 2019
***
Update:
BREAKING: French Interior Ministry official says firefighters might not be able to save Notre Dame Cathedral. https://t.co/RWRGb4hH7S
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 15, 2019
BREAKING NEWS: French fire services say they are "not sure" if Notre-Dame fire can be stopped – AFP pic.twitter.com/6JyhDw3WFs
— Breaking News Feed (@pzf) April 15, 2019
There are no words.
***
Update:
It appears that at least some of the cathedral will survive, God willing:
Some good news… Paris fire department on French TV: "The structure of the cathedral will survive." #NotreDame
— Hala Gorani (@HalaGorani) April 15, 2019
Commandant de la brigade des sapeurs-pompiers de Paris: "On peut considérer que les deux tours de Notre-Dame sont sauvées" pic.twitter.com/rF40g2RCk4
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) April 15, 2019
Commander of Paris fire service says the two tours of Notre Dame have been saved 🙂 https://t.co/2zK782J7jR
— Sophie Pedder (@PedderSophie) April 15, 2019
ABC News just reported that firefighters have saved Notre Dame from complete destruction. They've probably saved the bell towers and the western edifice.
— Lindsay Ellis (@thelindsayellis) April 15, 2019
***
Update:
You’ll want to have a box of tissues nearby for this:
OK, I finally lost it completely: Parisians singing hymns as Notre Dame burns. pic.twitter.com/wSeIdQc8qF
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) April 15, 2019
Stunning and sad and beautiful.
***
Update:
French President Emmanuel Macron is vowing to rebuild:
French president @EmmanuelMacron on #NotreDame: “We will rebuild this Cathedral together. This is probably part of the French destiny. And we will do it in the next years. Starting tomorrow, a national donation scheme will be started that will extend beyond our borders.” #CNN
— Matt Hoye (@mattyhoyeCNN) April 15, 2019
***
Update:
Crazy photo of the altar inside Notre Dame, by Reuters' Philippe Wojazer pic.twitter.com/KjRPSVKJRA
— Stefan Becket (@becket) April 15, 2019
Amidst the rubble, the smoke and the darkness, gleams the Cross. https://t.co/Ja3PAgfvyC
— PEG (@pegobry) April 15, 2019
Join the conversation as a VIP Member