After the fire at Rouen Cathedral, the emotional reactions of Internet users

The fire broke out on the morning of Thursday, July 11, on the spire of the cathedral. Although the fire is now under control, there have been many reactions on social networks.

The fire is now under control. A fire broke out late Thursday morning, July 11 in Rouen, on the spire of the famous Rouen Cathedral, without causing any casualties. The cause of the fire is currently unknown. On the social network X, Internet users expressed their shock and concern, five years after the fire which destroyed part of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

It was Internet users who began posting videos of smoke billowing from the spire of Rouen’s Notre-Dame Cathedral late this morning. These shots, taken from different locations in the city, both near and far, are all accompanied by emotional messages. “I have a front row seat to witness this sad event… Rouen Cathedral is on fire…”

Our colleagues from France Bleu Normandie directly followed the progress of the fire on site. Many passers-by stopped to observe the smoke escaping from the white tarpaulins deployed on the spire and the intervention of the firefighters.

Once the fire was under control, much more positive messages flooded social networks. “Wonderful Rouen Cathedral saved by firefighters!”enthuses an Internet user on X. She even takes the opportunity to salute this building which breaks several records. “Its spire is the tallest in France.”

The fire has even moved Internet users on the other side of the Rhine: a German tourist who came ten days ago has published photos of the cathedral spire, taken during her stay. “He Two weeks ago our accommodation was very close and we had a drink in the courtyard every evening overlooking the building“she wrote on the social network X.

The parallel between this fire and the one that destroyed part of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris five years ago appears in several of the messages published. “A picture that reminds me of another, 5 years old and just as sad…”writes the priest Gautier Mornas, on his account X.

Almost 200 years ago, Rouen Cathedral had already suffered a fire that cost it its spire, destroyed by fire on September 15, 1822. Many engravings had immortalized this image. An Internet user has published two of them, “by Eustache Hyacinthe and Polyclès Langlois”in response to the fire at the cathedral on Thursday July 11.

The fire in the cathedral spire has been contained since 2 p.m. and there are no injuries to report.