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 ...
And de Molay says: Alors!! c’est Karma.
exactly
I heard (not verified) that it took 1 1/2 hours to get water there.
I heard (not verified) that it took 1 1/2 hours to get water there.
—
I heard that too.
Blamed it on the traffic.
Notre Dame sits on an island in the middle of a river.
It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of an angry god............Hebrews 10:31
Burns on Holy Week no less.
Some people did something.
Fools.
Trump suggested they drop water from above like with a forest fire. Of course any suggestion by the US is to be quickly ignored.
Will be blamed on right wing white nationalists.
I don’t think we have enough articles posted on the FR about this fire yet.
The French specifically did not want to use that method, afraid of damaging the priceless artworks...............
It’s almost like they wanted it to burn to the ground...
https://twitter.com/Jordan_Sather_/status/1117865701694267393
(weird post alert)
What are you implying?
Some fire did something.
Top of the hour news
The spire was lost but two main towers were saved.
Scratch one from the bucket list.
Second, water is really heavy and a dump all at once could cause more damage.
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