The roof of Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral collapsed Monday as a massive fire ripped through the structure only before Easter.
Paris Mayor Anne Hildago and firefighters warned people to stay away from the area. There have been no confirmed deaths, according to Paris police, while a French government official said no injuries had yet been reported.
WATCH: Notre Dame's spire collapses into the flames, video from witness Nicolas Marang shows. https://t.co/MaEI5HttSM pic.twitter.com/gHhwMrRYmS
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 15, 2019
No injuries were reported in the early stages of the blaze. It was not immediately clear what had caused the fire, while local media reported that police in the city were treating it as an accident. The Paris Prosecutor’s office announced that it has started an inquiry into the fire
Emergency services also attempted to salvage the artwork stored in the cathedral, which had been undergoing renovations.
The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and is famous for featuring in Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” attracts millions of tourists every year.
First photos/videos emerge on social media #NotreDame
MORE: https://t.co/OmXn0Zm5j4pic.twitter.com/QZdG5XOUaD
— RT (@RT_com) April 15, 2019
A major operation was under way, the fire department said, while a city hall spokesman said on Twitter that the area was being cleared.
We’ll have more on this breaking story as it develops.
