A fire has broken out at Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of Paris’ popular attractions.
At the time of filing this report, firefighters were at the scene to bring the fire under control.
Officials say an area surrounding the building in central Paris has been cleared.
Before the fire outbreak, Notre-Dame Cathedral was undergoing renovations after cracks began to appear in the stone, sparking fears the structure could become unstable. Some have attributed the fire to the renovation works.
French President Emmanuel Macron has cancelled his planned speech to the nation in light of the fire, which has engulfed the giant spire of the cathedral, an Élysée Palace official said.
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, described the fire which has engulfed the medieval Catholic cathedral as a “terrible fire” and urged people at the scene to respect the boundaries set up by fire crews in order to ensure that they remain safe.
US President Donald Trump suggested “perhaps flying water tankers” could be used to extinguish the fire.
The Notre-Dame cathedral is visited by millions of people every year.
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