Gothic cathedral catches fire in France (VIDEOS)

The spire of a famous church in Rouen has erupted in flames, according to the city’s mayor

France’s famous Rouen cathedral has caught fire, the city’s mayor, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, has reported on his official X (formerly Twitter) account. He said flames had engulfed the spire of the building, built in the eleventh century. The monument is known for being favored and painted multiple times by renowned French impressionist Claude Monet.

The mayor said that the origin of the blaze is still unknown, and that firefighters have been mobilized. Images posted on social media showed flames spewing out somewhere near the top of the building. Restoration work has been going on at the cathedral since 2015, according to French media.

The Gothic Notre-Dame de Rouen has the tallest church spire in France, soaring over 150 meters above the ground.

🔥🇫🇷 ALERTE INFO – La flèche de la cathédrale de #Rouen est en feu. (via @j_bouteiller) pic.twitter.com/6CCLOYTBAi

— Mediavenir (@Mediavenir) July 11, 2024

Local authorities said the cathedral had been evacuated and a security cordon placed around the building. The extent of damage to the structure is unclear for now.

🚨🇫🇷 FLASH | Un incendie est en cours à la cathédrale de #Rouen. L’origine est inconnue pour le moment.
pic.twitter.com/wC4H0TX6A4

— Cerfia (@CerfiaFR) July 11, 2024

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