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An 1,100-year-old cathedral in Rouen Normandy, France was ablaze midday Thursday, causing panic and recollections of the 2019 fire that engulfed the famous Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedral dates from the 12th century and is formally called the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen. It is well-known for its beautiful Gothic architecture and features prominently in a series of paintings by impressionistic painter Claude Monet. Rouen’s mayor, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, posted to X around noon to report sightings of smoke coming from the cathedral. “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,” wrote Mayer-Rossignol. A total of 40 vehicles and 70 personnel were dispatched to the scene.
Firefighters were able to find the source of the fire within 90 minutes, labeling it “accidental.” The fire was located some 120 meters (nearly 400 feet) from the ground. According to workers on site, plastic had caught fire on a work platform. The cathedral has been undergoing renovations since 2017, and it is believed the fire may be a result of welding. “We have narrowly avoided another catastrophe. At this stage, and I speak under the authority of the public prosecutor, it is an accidental fire,” said French Culture Minister Rachida Dati after visiting the cathedral. All precious works of art withing were intact and some 28 pieces were removed to protect them from potential damage. Dati’s statement reflects the anxiety of the French people after the Notre Dame Cathedral fire. Notre Dame has been under delicate reconstruction efforts ever since, with a planned reopening in December.
Three workers from the site had mild smoke inhalation after attempting to put out the fire with fire extinguishers, but no other injuries have been reported. Some of the work that has been done on the cathedral involves creating firewalls within the wooden structures to prevent a similar catastrophe that happened to Notre Dame. The cathedral is expected to reopen in the near future.