A fire broke out in the spire of a famous Gothic cathedral in the French city of Rouen, prompting an evacuation, local officials said.
picture County Government Published on X Black smoke billowed from a canopy and scaffolding on top of the building, which is about 150 meters (495 feet) high.
The fire is now under control and three workers suffered minor smoke inhalation, according to officials.
Builders restoring the cathedral discovered a fire around the spire shortly after noon and sounded the alarm, according to local authorities.
Fire chief Stephane Gouezec told local media that about 70 firefighters and 40 fire trucks were involved in extinguishing the blaze at the Cathedral of the Assumption.
Mr Guzek said plastic parts caught fire at the construction site. The metal spire itself appeared to be undamaged.
Mayor Nicolas Meyer-Rossignol said “all public resources” had been mobilized to respond.
“The fire broke out at the top of the spire, which is not made of wood but of metal,” the Seine maritime department told AFP.
The county said emergency services were extinguishing the fire and the cathedral had been evacuated and a security cordon set up.
The archbishop of Rouen told Reuters he was relieved that four people working on the minaret managed to escape the flames, adding that one of the workers told him: “I don’t think I have ever been so close to the merciful Lord.” But today, I want to say thank you.
Rouen Cathedral, featured in many 19th-century artworks by Impressionist artist Claude Monet, is undergoing an extensive restoration.
According to its official website, its construction took centuries, with parts of the building dating back more than 900 years to the 12th century. From 1876 to 1880, it was the tallest building in the world.
Wood roof frame caught fire in 2019 Caused huge damage to the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. After years of repairs, the French capital’s landmark will officially reopen in December.
