The building, which is under construction, has been evacuated. A security perimeter has been set up to allow firefighters to fight the flames, the origin of which is currently unknown.
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A “start of fire” [est] in progress on the spire of the cathedral of Rouen”announced Thursday July 11 the mayor (PS) of Rouen Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol on his X account, information confirmed by France Bleu Normandie. “There are no casualties, except for workers who inhaled smoke and who are being treated by the firefighters.”assures on franceinfo Monsignor Dominique Lebrun, archbishop of the diocese of Rouen, present on the scene.
Emergency services are on site and the police have established a security perimeter in the Cathedral Square. Two fire engines have arrived on the scene with fire hoses, reports France Bleu Normandie. “The cathedral has been evacuated”declares the prefecture of Normandy and Seine-Maritime on X, which advises “to avoid the area and not to obstruct the emergency lines.”
The fire broke out late in the morning at the spire, which has been covered with a white tarpaulin for several weeks. The spire is under construction and according to the mayor, the origin of the fire is “unknown at this stage. All public resources are being mobilized”.
“There is a race against time because we are halfway up the spire, which is made of metal, explains the archbishop of the diocese of Rouen. Water must be brought to the upper parts to extinguish this fire and to remove doubts about other parts of the cathedral.. Obviously, the fire is occurring in a place where workers decontaminate themselves when they leave work, This is what we see and what the fire brigade colonel seems to be saying,” adds Monsignor Dominique Lebrun.
As videos multiply on social networks, the archbishop shares the “great emotion for the staff of the archbishopric and for the population”. He adds that “the damage is significant” and “This will lead to examinations of what was damaged by the fire.”
Around 12:30 p.m., the smoke became thinner, describes France Bleu Normandie, revealing a huge hole in the tarpaulin. The building has been under construction since 2016. The spire of Notre-Dame de Rouen is the tallest in France. It peaks at 151 meters in height.