Rouen: Fire breaks out in spire of famous French cathedral

A fire has started in the tall pointed structure of the well-known Rouen Cathedral in Normandy, France.

Pictures on social media displayed flames erupting from a scaffolding cover near the top of the famous building, known for its three towers representing centuries of architectural history.

The old cathedral with dark architecture is famous because it was featured in several paintings created by French artist Claude Monet during the 1800s.

The mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, posted on X that a fire has broken out on the spire of Rouen Cathedral. The cause of the fire is currently unknown and all available public resources are being used to address the situation.

The fire began in an area where construction was happening, according to local authorities.

The cathedral was cleared out and emergency personnel are present.

People living in the area were advised to stay away and a security perimeter was established around the building.

The broadcast on BFM TV displayed a large, dark cloud of smoke billowing from the spire, as individuals on the streets gazed up in shock and fear.

Many people thought about the fire that burned the roof of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris in 2019. The roof is set to be fixed this winter following a costly restoration effort.

The article stated that there were 40 fire trucks and 70 firefighters present at the location, which caused disruptions in public transportation in the vicinity.

The French news outlet also mentioned Dominique Lebrun, the Archbishop of Rouen, who stated that the workers who alerted authorities when the fire started "breathed in some smoke" but are "out of harm's way".

Fire officials stated that approximately an hour and a half after the fire was initially spotted, they had identified the origin and were actively extinguishing any lingering areas of intense heat.

The pointed structure, constructed from cast iron and reaching a height of 151 meters, stands as one of the tallest in Europe and the loftiest in France.

The cathedral was built in the 12th century and is a popular tourist destination in Rouen. It held the record for being the tallest building globally until 1880.

This is the place where the rulers of Normandy have historically been crowned. Inside, there is a tomb that holds the heart of Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, who was the King of England from 1189 until he passed away in 1199.

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The cathedral renovation project cost around 1.33 million euros, as reported by French newspaper Le Monde.

It had been enclosed by metal support structures and a white covering for a few weeks.

There were no injuries reported, and authorities stated that they were uncertain about the extent of the destruction.