A fire broke out on Thursday on the spire of the medieval Notre-Dame Cathedral in Rouen, France.
The city’s mayor, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, confirmed that all public resources were being mobilized. Questioned by X, Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol said: “A fire is starting on the spire of Rouen Cathedral. The origin is unknown at this stage. All public resources are being mobilized.”
French authorities said the spire caught fire during renovation work. They said no casualties had been reported and the extent of the damage was not known.
The spire of Rouen Cathedral has been surrounded by scaffolding and a white covering for several weeks due to ongoing renovation work.
The cathedral prefecture, which exercises state authority in the region, said the cathedral had been evacuated and emergency services were on site. A security cordon was set up around the building.
The cathedral, a jewel of French medieval Gothic architecture, was built in the 12th century and was painted several times by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet in the 19th century.
In early 2019, a devastating fire broke out in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, believed to have been started during renovation work.
