Sadness predominated Catholics across the world after fire engulfed one of Paris most visited sites, Notre Dame Cathedral. Fire officials say that the towers have been saved.
The cathedral would have been celebrating with the public the Holy Week when the death and resurrection are marked.
The 850-year-old gothic building caught fire at 5.50 pm local time. Police says that it happened accidentally, and may be caused by building work, bearing in mind that the cathedral had been undergoing a 20-year-old renovation project.
To contain the accident 400 firefighters have been mobilized.
Presidents' Reactions
"Part of us is burning" Macron tweeted commenting on the accident. "Notre-Dame is aflame. Great emotion for the whole nation. Our thoughts go out to all Catholics and to the French people. Like all of my fellow citizens, I am sad to see this part of us burn tonight."
US President Donald Trump said it was a "terrible, terrible fire." He added, "That's beyond countries, that's beyond anything. It's a part of our culture."
Former US President Barack Obama tweeted, "Notre Dame is one of the world’s great treasures, and we’re thinking of the people of France in your time of grief. It’s in our nature to mourn when we see history lost – but it’s also in our nature to rebuild for tomorrow, as strong as we can."
About the Cathedral
The monumental site attracts yearly about 13 million visitors. It is located on a small island called Île de la Cité.
Pope Alexander III started its establishment in 1163. In the 13th century, the building was completed.
In 1804, the cathedral saw emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's coronation
Follow the latest news on Google News
