I think what a lot of people are missing here is that the fire started in “the attic”.
I doubt much of value was stored there. This ain’t gramma’s house.
The fire took a long time to get downstairs. Fire prefers to go up or sideways to going down.
There was a lot of time to clear the most valuable stuff out of the way. If I had been in charge of the project, I would have started with two teams, one at the altar and/or sacristy, and one under the fire working outwards and then along the long axis.
No doubt lists of the most valued items exist, and people who have dedicated themselves to the care of the building and its contents were consulted.
Looking at the interior photos, many of the wood pews and stuff are untouched! It appears that the ceiling was arches of marble/stone - with the wood attic and roof above those arches.
Some of the roof fell down through the design of the arches - but it appears that the fire stayed up in the “attic”. Still a huge loss - but in looking at some of the overhead photos of the entire building covered in flames - I thought it had collapsed and on fire all the way to the ground floor.
Brave folks though if they were inside while the fire was raging above them. (I’m guessing they would have had to have done that!)
I do think it was very much like grandma’s attic with lots of priceless artifacts stored up there. Where else would they store such? Right after thinking sadly I’d never seen ND, I thought of stuff in the attic.