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Paris races to save Notre-Dame Cathedral as fire destroys steeple
AFP ^ | 15 Apr 2019 | Staff

Posted on 04/15/2019 2:36:08 PM PDT by Red Badger

French firefighters were racing Monday to save Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris after a colossal fire caused the spire of the historic edifice to crash to the ground and wiped out centuries of heritage.

The fire already destroyed the roof of the 850 year old UNESCO world heritage landmark, whose spectacular gothic spire collapsed before the eyes of horrified onlookers on a previously pristine early spring evening.

The fire, which came as Catholics prepare to celebrate Easter, sent orange flames and clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky as stunned Parisians and tourists watched on in horror.

Some were in tears, others offered prayers from the banks of the river Seine as the inferno devoured the cathedral.

As darkness fell, some 400 firefighters battled against the odds to control the fire and save at least its iconic front towers which were still standing.

"This is really sad —- the saddest thing I've ever stood and watched in my life," said British tourist Sam Ogden, a 50-year-old onlooker, who had come to visit the cathedral with her family.

Gasps and cries of "Oh my god" erupted around an hour after the fire first broke out when the top portion of the church's spire came crashing down.

- 'France is Notre Dame' -

The cause of the blaze was not immediately confirmed. The cathedral had been undergoing intense restoration work which the fire service said could be linked to the blaze.

Last week, dramatic footage had shown workers removing 16 copper statues from the spire which was undergoing a revamp financed by the state and private donors.

Historians expressed incredulity at the collapse of a building that has been a symbol of France for almost a millenium and withstood war and revolution.

(Excerpt) Read more at afp.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: didyousearch; france; koranimals; notredame; notredameburning; notredamecathedral; notredamefire; paris
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Hiding behind his mommy-wife’s apron.


41 posted on 04/15/2019 3:40:21 PM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA

Exactly. And also, a drop from a higher altitude is also used to mitigate impact.


42 posted on 04/15/2019 3:48:30 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: SkyDancer

The great cathedrals are places of power. The lives invested in building them, maintaining them and worshiping within them gave them power. Sad that this one has been brought low. I’m sure there are many in France who recognized that power and wished to take it away for their own purposes.


43 posted on 04/15/2019 3:50:25 PM PDT by phothus (http://buanadha.wordpress.com/)
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To: Red Badger
While the cause of the fire could be accidental, I would imagine there is rejoicing by some groups in Paris.
44 posted on 04/15/2019 3:51:27 PM PDT by The Great RJ ("Socialists are happy until they run out of other people's money." Margaret Thatcher)
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To: Red Badger
French firefighters were racing...No, they were not. It was over two hours before they arrived on the scene. That is not "racing."
45 posted on 04/15/2019 3:54:38 PM PDT by Jemian (Walls work and Walls Save Lives.)
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To: Black Agnes

Macron is talking about ‘rebuilding’ NotreDame to reflect the new diversity of France.

Macron is going to rebuild it as the Church of the Supreme Being?
His old friend Maximilien would be a big help.


46 posted on 04/15/2019 3:57:39 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!")
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To: The Great RJ

http://www.theamericanmirror.com/arabs-laugh-at-burning-notre-dame-cathedral/


47 posted on 04/15/2019 3:58:00 PM PDT by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: Mrs. Don-o; livius
I concur with livius and furthermore, once it's established accellerants were used, that's "the how" - then it'll be on to "the who!"

Muslims were stupidly hired to work on the renovation!

48 posted on 04/15/2019 3:58:05 PM PDT by onyx (Join 300 CLUB BY DONATING $34 t! TRUMP'S WAY IS THE WINNING WAY!)
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To: Red Badger
Think of the insurance payouts!
49 posted on 04/15/2019 3:58:11 PM PDT by equaviator
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To: Black Agnes

Macron is going to stir up the yellow jacket nest if he keeps talking like that.


50 posted on 04/15/2019 4:00:16 PM PDT by Beach333
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To: Vaquero

President Trump’s idea is a good one, theynay not have the equipment. We have the means due to our expansive forests and firefighting


51 posted on 04/15/2019 4:11:01 PM PDT by madison10
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To: Black Agnes

Mosque on one end, Cathedral on the other...


52 posted on 04/15/2019 4:13:00 PM PDT by madison10
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To: madison10

You’re probably correct.

Beginnings of the One World Religion.


53 posted on 04/15/2019 4:14:24 PM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: Red Badger

“Built on the Rock the Church shall stand,
even when steeples are falling.
Crumbled have spires in every land;
bells still are chiming and calling,
calling the young and old to rest,
but above all the souls distressed,
longing for rest everlasting.”


54 posted on 04/15/2019 4:27:46 PM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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UPDATE:The Paris prosecutors’ office says investigators are treating the
blaze that destroyed part of Notre Dame as an accident for now.

The structure of Notre Dame cathedral has been saved; fire not spreading
to northern belfry.

The prosecutors’ office said late Monday they have ruled out arson in
Monday’s fire, including possible terror-related motives for starting
the blaze.

Prosecutors say Paris police will conduct an investigation into
“involuntary destruction caused by fire.”

https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/40309500/arson-ruled-out


55 posted on 04/15/2019 4:29:33 PM PDT by deport
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To: Red Badger

“races to...…”

I just heard it took two hours to get to the fire...WTH??/


56 posted on 04/15/2019 4:35:16 PM PDT by Maris Crane
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To: shanover
How can a society not adequately protect an iconic building unless the society is slowly rotting away and is losing its identity and priorities?

BINGO!

You would think the city would already have been on high alert since

it had a vested interest in the site as a major tourist attraction or

the insurance company would have had inspectors crawling over every inch

of the renovation work day and night.

This event will either snap Europe out of it's zombie march into hell

or the de-civilization will continue.

7

57 posted on 04/15/2019 4:39:39 PM PDT by infool7 (Observe, Orient, Pray, Decide, Act!(it's an OOPDA loop))
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The Notre-Dame had previously been referred to as a “forest” because
of the more than 13,000 oak trees that were cut to construct its roof.

https://www.thisisinsider.com/notre-dame-cathedral-paris-fire-2019-4


58 posted on 04/15/2019 4:45:26 PM PDT by deport
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To: Pravious

A fire happened.


59 posted on 04/15/2019 5:03:42 PM PDT by samtheman (To steal an election, who do you collude with? Russians in Russia or Mexicans in California?)
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To: deport

“The prosecutors’ office said late Monday they have ruled out arson in Monday’s fire, including possible terror-related motives for starting the blaze.”

Absurd! Any credible arson investigator will tell you it’s premature to make any determination about origin of the fire...Embers aren’t even cool...Then again...

Even IF the French fire investigation authorities conduct a proper and thorough investigation it is still possible the seat(s) of origin may never be determined for certain...The amount of structural damage and water used will make it difficult to determine point(s) of origin, especially if they were in the upper areas of the structure as has been suggested...

Curious why authorities are so quick to rule out arson? Who might the French people suspect?


60 posted on 04/15/2019 6:35:13 PM PDT by elteemike (Light travels faster than sound...That's why so many people appear bright until you hear them speak)
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