Detectives investigating the catastrophic fire which gutted Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral are currently interviewing specialist restorers who were carrying out works to its iconic spire when the inferno broke out.
Hundreds of heroic firefighters tackled the blaze through the night, battling to stop the landmark's complete destruction after the iconic spire was seen crashing to the ground before horrified Parisians yesterday evening.
Meanwhile, teams raced to recover what treasures they could from the 850-year-old Gothic masterpiece, which housed priceless artefacts and relics of huge religious and international significance.
The blaze, which broke out as the last crowds of tourists ended visits at around 7pm local time, was finally declared to be 'completely under control' nearly nine hours later.
However, it is expected to take several days to completely extinguish all remaining pockets of fire, dampen down hotspots and secure the world-famous edifice.
Attention has now turned to what may have caused the landmark, part of which was being restored in a £5million refurbishment, to fall victim to such a disaster after an official claimed a 'stray flame' had sparked the inferno.
The Paris prosecutors' office said police will carry out an investigation into 'involuntary destruction caused by fire', indicating authorities are currently treating the blaze as a tragic accident, and not arson or terrorism.
Visiting the scene on Monday night, French president Emmanuel Macron said a national subscription would be launched to rebuild the national monument.
It was reported by AFP that billionaire French fashion mogul Francois-Henri Pinault had pledged 100 million euros (£86 million, $113,072 million) towards the effort.
The blaze broke out just before 7pm local time in a roof area undergoing around £6m of renovations. The fire service said last night they believed it was an accident, but investigations were continuing.
More than 400 firefighters battled the flames, which quickly spread along the roof structure, causing burning timbers to collapse onto the ceiling of the vault below. Some of that collapsed into the aisle however the cathedral's Twitter account declared the damage inside was less than feared, in a message ending 'Allelujah'.
At around 3am local time, Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet said: 'We can consider that the main structure of Notre-Dame has been saved and preserved as well as the two towers.'
And a brigade spokesman added: 'We will continue to watch over any residual pockets of fire and cool down the areas that are still red-hot, like the wooden beam framework.'
One fireman was severely injured tackling the blaze, but no fatalities were reported. The building – and the entire Ile de la Cite island it occupies in the centre of the French capital – were successfully evacuated as the seriousness of the fire became clear.
As well as the historic stricture, the cathedral was home to dozens of priceless artefacts, including the reputed Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus during his crucifixion.
A human chain of emergency service workers carried this and many other items to safety.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said: 'Thank you to the [Paris fire brigade], policemen and the municipal agents who have made this evening a tremendous human chain to save the works of Notre Dame. The Crown of Thorns, the tunic of Saint Louis and several other major works are now in a safe place.'
Priceless works that couldn't be moved fared less well. Firefighters told how the building's stained-glass rose windows, high on the north, west and south faces of the cathedral, 'exploded' in the heat of the inferno.
'They exploded because of the heat of the blaze,' said one, referring to the Rosette West, which was created in 1225, the Rosette North and the Rossette South, both from 1250.
Firefighters had also struggled to take down many of the large paintings in the cathedral, administrative cleric Monsignor Patrick Chauvet said, meaning the scale of the devastation will not be known for some time.
But at the height of the inferno, many feared the entire building would be lost.
Cathedral spokesman Andre Finot said: 'Everything is burning. The frame - which dates to the 19th century on one side and the 13th century on the other – there will be nothing left.'
And as the fire spread, President Macron Tweeted: 'Our Lady of Paris in flames. Emotion of a whole nation. Thoughts go out to all Catholics and all of France. Like all our countrymen, I'm sad tonight to see this part of us burn.'
He was joined by politicians, religious leaders and academics who lamented the losses suffered.
'If Paris is the Eiffel Tower then France is Notre Dame. It's the entire culture, entire history of France incarnated in this monument,' Bernard Lecomte, a writer and specialist in religious history told French TV.
The Vatican expressed its 'incredulity' and 'sadness' over the fire and offered prayers for firefighters tackling the blaze and solidarity with the French people.
In Washington, Donald Trump tweeted: 'So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.'
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby sent the best wishes of the Anglican church to people at the scene. 'Tonight we pray for the firefighters tackling the tragic Notre Dame fire - and for everyone in France and beyond who watches and weeps for this beautiful, sacred place where millions have met with Jesus Christ,' he said.
And British Prime Minister Theresa May added: 'My thoughts are with the people of France tonight and with the emergency services who are fighting the terrible blaze.'
As the flames died down, thoughts turned to rebuilding the monument.
In an impassioned speech outside the cathedral, President Macron said: 'We will appeal to the greatest talents and we will rebuild Notre Dame because that's what the French are waiting for, because that's what our history deserves, because it's our deepest destiny.'
Late on Monday evening French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault pledged 100 million euros (£86.2 million) towards the rebuilding the cathedral.
In a statement sent the CEO of the Kering group, which owns Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent fashion houses, said the money towards 'the effort necessary to completely rebuild Notre Dame' would be paid by the Pinault family's investment firm Artemis.
The cathedral is one of Europe's most-visited landmarks, and as Holy Week got underway yesterday, thousands of tourists were in the vicinity and were joined by locals who spilled open-mouthed onto the streets to watch the disaster unfolding.
'Notre-Dame survived all the wars, all the bombardments. We never thought it could burn. I feel incredibly sad and empty,' Stephane Seigneurie, a consultant who joined other shocked onlookers in a solemn rendition of 'Ave Maria' as they watched the fire from a nearby bridge.
'Paris is disfigured. The city will never be like it was before,' said Philippe, a communications worker in his mid-30s.
Jacky Lafortune, a 72-year-old artist and self-described atheist stood forlornly on the banks of the River Seine staring at the cathedral.
Comparing the mood in the French capital to the aftermath of a terror attack he said: 'But this stirs much deeper emotions because Notre-Dame is linked to the very foundations of our culture.'
The cathedral, one the finest example of French Gothic architecture in Europe, is located at the centre of the French capital in the Middle Ages and its construction was completed in the mid-14th century after some 200 years of work.
During the French Revolution in the 18th century, the cathedral was vandalised in widespread anti-Catholic violence. Its spire was dismantled, its treasures plundered and its large statues at the grand entrance doors destroyed.
It would go on to feature as a central character in a Victor Hugo novel published in 1831, 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame' and shortly afterwards a restoration project lasting two decades got under way, led by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc.
The building survived the devastation of two global conflicts in the 20th century and famously rang its bells on August 24, 1944, the day of the Liberation of Paris from German occupation at the end of the World War II.
Before yesterday's blaze it was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding, and bronze statues had been removed last week for works.
Its 330ft-long roof, of which a large section was consumed in the first hour of the blaze, was one of the oldest such structures in Paris.
Sparks and bits of flaming woodwork are still cascading from the remnants of the 12th-century roof.
The smell instantly sears the back of your throat like a dose of smelling salts and my feet are soaked. The ancient black and white tiles leading up the aisle are under a gently-flowing river of hose water from the fire crews pumping what seems like much of the River Seine from their elevated platforms.
Yet I can faithfully report that the Cathedral of Notre Dame is not entirely destroyed. Because I am standing inside it – alongside the French prime minister.
In the early hours of this morning, I was among the first people to be allowed inside the ruins of one of the world's finest cathedrals following the fire which has shocked not just the entire French nation but much of the planet.
A blaze which begin in the cathedral's loft at 6.30pm had turned into an all-consuming catastrophe by nightfall. Officials reported that the wooden interior of the medieval cathedral had been almost completely destroyed.
Certainly, Notre Dame's spire is no more. Great chunks of its eastern end are no more. Its world-famous stained glass windows are in smithereens and the whole edifice is open to the skies.
But Paris will wake today to see that the cathedral that has defied world wars, enemy occupations, revolutions and mobs galore is still poking its head above the Paris skyline.
And at 1am today, at the far end of the cathedral, illuminated by lingering embers and firefighters' equipment, I could just make out a stunning symbol of defiance through the gloom: the unmistakeable sight of a crucifix on what remains of the altar.
Notre Dame is gravely damaged. Yet its most spectacular features – the 850-year-old twin towers – are still there. For centuries, these were the highest structures in Paris until the Eiffel Tower came along. To this day, they are instantly recognisable the world over. And last night, though looking very sorry for themselves, they were in one piece as I stood beneath them alongside a posse of fire crews and prime ministerial aides.
Within hours, speculation was rife as to the cause of the fire. For now, it seems that it was what one official called a 'stray flame' – linked to a £5 million restoration project – which sparked the inferno.
Experts have warned for years that the cathedral has been in a poor condition, with the French state reluctant to fund renovation work in recent decades.
Experts said that the building needed a £129.5million (€150million) restoration, but the state had only offered €40million.
The cathedral was seeking private donations to make up the rest.
The flames were first spotted just minutes after the building had closed to the public for the day. Echoing the fears of his entire country, French president Emmanuel Macron instantly declared a national emergency. 'Our Lady of Paris in flames,' he declared on Twitter. 'Like all our countrymen, I'm sad tonight to see this part of us burn.'
He has pledged to rebuild Notre Dame, saying: 'Notre Dame is our history, our imagination, where we've lived all our great moments, and is the epicentre of our lives.
'It's the story of our books, our paintings. It's the cathedral for all French people, even if they have never been. But it is burning and I know this sadness will be felt by all of our citizens.
'Tomorrow a national subscription will be launched for people around the country to help rebuild this great Notre Dame. Because that's what the French people want. That is what their history requires. Because that is our destiny.'
Questions were immediately asked about the way in which a fire could take such a rapid hold of one of the world's most visited – and most beloved – landmarks. The firefighting response was also questioned as few, if any, high-pressure water hoses were able to reach the roof in the first hour. Critically, the Paris prosecutor has already opened an inquiry.
I arrived last night to find a dumbstruck City of Light still bathed in a dismal afterglow. Here, on the banks of the Seine, tens of thousands of people – of all nationalities – stared incredulously at the slow death of a part of France's soul.
To describe the cathedral of Notre Dame as a national monument is a grave understatement. Imagine Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London all going up in smoke at the same time and you begin to appreciate the magnitude of this loss, except that Notre Dame attracts – or used to attract – twice as many annual visitors as those three London landmarks put together.
That is why, as news began to spread last night, Parisians flocked to the Seine. They came here not as voyeurs but as mourners. They came to pay their last respects. Some sang hymns. Many were in tears. Some brought flowers and cards to place they knew not where. Understandably, perhaps, no one saw fit to light a candle.
From medieval times, Notre Dame has marked the epochs in the story of this proud country and inspired one of the most famous literary masterpieces in the French language, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This August marks the 75th anniversary of the day that General Charles De Gaulle marked the liberation of Paris within its walls, even as sporadic gunfire continued outside.
This is a city which was famously spared the destruction which history has wreaked on so many other European capitals. It really did feel blessed; almost eternal. Not any more. Those twin towers are now blackened and wide open to the elements. By midnight, however, the flames had died down as the first glimmers of firemen's torches could be seen here and there in the remains.
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I joined what I can only describe as a requiem mass of Parisians chanting prayers on the Pont de Notre Dame. All approaches to the cathedral's island site had been sealed off to the public but crowds kept on coming from all directions for a glimpse.
'At least the two towers are still standing, and they must stay up so that Notre Dame can be reborn,' said civil servant Pascal Boichut, 52. There was a glimmer of hope when Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet told reporters: 'We consider that the main structure of Notre Dame has been preserved.'
In a statement the CEO of the Kering group, which owns Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent fashion houses, said the money towards 'the effort necessary to completely rebuild Notre Dame' would be paid by the Pinault family's investment firm Artemis.
Macron had earlier cancelled a major televised policy speech he was due to give on Monday evening to respond to months of protests, and instead headed to the scene in person.
He said while the 'worst had been avoided' and the facade and two towers saved, 'the next hours will be difficult'.
Paris fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet said 'we can consider that the main structure of Notre Dame has been saved and preserved' as well as the two towers.
Parisians applaud the firefighters who formed a human chain to save Notre Dame's priceless collection of art and relics – including the Crown Of Thorns from Jesus' crucifixion
Firefighters, police, and churchmen risked their lives last night to carry priceless historical artefacts and religious relics away from the flames which engulfed Notre Dame de Paris.
The Mayor of Paris tweeted her thanks to first responders for forming 'a formidable human chain' to save irreplaceable objects including the relic believed by Catholics to be the crown of thorns which was put on Jesus' head as he died on the cross.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo went on: 'The Crown of Thorns, the tunic of Saint Louis and several other major works are now in a safe place.'
And Father Fournier, Chaplain of the Paris Firefighters, told reporters he went into the burning cathedral to save the Blessed Sacrament and Crown of Thorns.
Parisians applauded and cheered fire crews as they drove through the streets in the early hours of the morning.
The church's treasure trove of priceless artworks and religious relics include the Crown of Thorns said to have been placed on the head of Jesus before he was crucified, a piece of the True Cross on which he is said to have died and a nail from the crucifixion.
The relics were obtained from the Byzantine Empire in 1238 and brought to Paris by King Louis IX.
Notre Dame is also home to priceless paintings dating back to the 1600s, including a series known as the Petits Mays, gifted to the cathedral once a year from 1630 to 1707.
Among the most celebrated artworks are three stained-glass rose windows high up on the west, north and south faces of the cathedral.
Notre Dame's Great Organ, which dates back to the 13th century and was restored in the early 1990s, is considered the most famous in the world, with five keyboards and nearly 8,000 pipes.
Last night firemen at the scene said all efforts were being directed at saving artwork in the cathedral and preventing the collapse of its northern tower.
'Everything is collapsing,' a police officer near the scene said as the cathedral continued to burn.
The ten bells of Notre Dame are renowned across Europe and the first nine are named Marie, Gabriel, Anne-Genevieve, Denis, Marcel, Etienne, Benoit-Joseph, Maurice, and Jean-Marie.
The final and largest, known as the bourdon bell Emmanuel, weighs more than 13 tonnes. It sits in the southern tower and has been a part of the building since 1681.
In 1944, Emmanuel was rung in celebration and triumph by French troops and allies to announce to the city that it was on its way to liberation.
The famous gargoyles and chimera that adorn Notre Dame were built in the 19th century by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. The original purpose of the gargoyles was to assist with the building's drainage, but they have become one of its most-loved features.
In the 1790s, Notre Dame was desecrated during the French Revolution when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed and its treasures plundered.
The 28 statues of biblical kings located at the west facade, mistaken for statues of French kings, were beheaded.
All of the other large statues on the facade, with the exception of that of the Virgin Mary on the portal of the cloister, were destroyed.
The cathedral was restored over 25 years after the publication of the book The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo in 1831 brought it into the spotlight.
Sixteen statues that were part of the cathedral's destroyed spire were safe and unscathed after being removed as part of a renovation a few days ago, and that the relics had also been saved.
The green-grey statues, representing the 12 apostles and four evangelists, were apparently lowered by cranes from the site and taken away.
The cathedral also has a spectacular series of carved wooden stalls and statues representing the Passion of the Christ.
'Art and history destroyed before our eyes': Witnesses share their horror as the Notre Dame Cathedral is engulfed in flames
Notre Dame Cathedral went up in flames on Monday in a roaring blaze that devastated the Parisian landmark, leaving the city, France, and the international community distraught.
Flames that began in the early evening burst through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof.
While a huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area, Parisians and tourists watched on, as others took to social media to express their sorrow.
'Centuries of art and history destroyed before our eyes. This building has stood since the Middle Ages. This is absolutely devastating,' one Twitter user wrote.
Later in the evening, those in the city gathered together to say prayers and sing hymns in front of the nearby Saint Julien Les Pauvres church as the massive blaze continued only a few hundred meters away.
Many were quietly singing an Ave Maria in Latin, including Stephane Seigneurie, 52, who said he has lived in Paris for the past 25 years.
'I come often, and go in even where there's no mass because it's an extraordinary place, entwined in the history of France,' he said. 'Politically, intellectually and spiritually, it's a symbol of France.'
Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit has invited priests across France to ring the bells of their churches in a call for prayers for Notre Dame.
'Paris is disfigured. The city will never be like it was before,' said Philippe, a communications worker in his mid-30s, who had biked over to the scene after being alerted of the fire by a friend.
'I'm a Parisian, my father was a Parisian, my grandfather as well - this was something we brought our sons to see,' he said. 'I won't be showing this to my son.'
'It's a tragedy,' he added. 'If you pray, now is the time to pray.'
'Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,' said witness Jacek Poltorak, watching the fire from a fifth-floor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of the cathedral, one of France's most visited places.
'Notre Dame is perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever set foot in, and watching it burn down is absolutely soul crushing,' read one Twitter post.
'Terrible seeing the Notre Dame in flames. Art and history turned to ashes. So glad no one has been hurt. Paris we are with you and will be there to see it restored. Shocking news,' another social media user said.
Others described the tragedy of never being able to see the Notre Dame as it was before the blaze.
'Sad I'll never get to see Notre Dame,' one Twitter user wrote. 'It's on my bucket list and now one of the historic landmarks is just gone! Thoughts go out to France'.
'It's finished, we'll never be able to see it again,' said Jerome Fautrey, a 37-year-old who had come to watch.
Buildings around were evacuated and nobody was injured, junior interior minister Laurent Nunez said at the scene, adding: 'It's too early to determine the causes of the fire.'
France 2 television reported that police were treating it as an accident.
'Everything is collapsing,' a police officer near the scene said as the entire roof of the cathedral continued to burn.
'Like all our compatriots, I am sad this evening to see this part of all of us burn,' President Emmanuel Macron tweeted.
'There are a lot of art works inside...it's a real tragedy,' Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said at the scene.
Questions for Paris fire brigade as Notre Dame inferno burns out of control for hours
Authorities have revealed they are unable to drop water on to Notre Dame to tame the blaze for fear it will ruin what is left of the 850-year-old cathedral as well as injuring people nearby.
The tactic was suggested by US President Donald Trump on Twitter but it hasn't been deployed because of the risks it could pose not only to the historic building but to any people nearby.
The French Interior Ministry tweeted to say that 400 firefighters have been mobilised to help tackle the blaze that is engulfing the cathedral.
In cases of intense fires, a water bomber jet - called a Canadair - can be deployed to drop large amounts of water.
Hundreds of comments have flooded in on the Pompiers du Paris Twitter page in support of the brave firefighters risking their lives to save Notre Dame.
French news site Le Monde, explains: 'A Canadair projects about six tonnes of water at high speed to the ground.
'The danger is significant of hurting one or more people around the building - which is why Canadair interventions are so infrequent in urban and peri-urban areas.
'Such an intervention could also significantly destroy the little remaining structure of the cathedral.'
The French Interior Ministry have mobilised 400 firefighters to help tackle the blazing inferno which has been burning for
If an accident happens while a Canadair is being used, the pilot may also face criminal charges.
Canadairs were used earlier this year in March when France experienced intense wildfires near Valdeblore in the Alpes-Maritimes.
They were also used in 2017 when France experienced intense wildfires that forced 10,000 people to evacuate their homes and campsites overnight.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
