Paris - Fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, Apr 2019

[flute4peace]

Glad to hear that.....It may be a little bit too late....moo

<modsnip: personalizing> It was too late as soon as it started. There is not a fire apparatus on this earth that could have saved this building.

 

[MassGuy]

I'm wondering if any investigation into a fire (especially of this magnitude) is technically a criminal investigation? Even if the cause is from construction, there might be a crime in the sense that legal procedures might not have been following in terms of safety, cleanliness, etc. I'm also sure that a fire during Holy Week at a famous cathedral will also include questions about terrorism, criminal intent, etc. It's all on the table, imo.

But, I think it's too early to read anything specific into the investigation.

jmo

Yeah. Centuries of history at a place that draws millions of people every year.

It is the duty of the government to get to the bottom of what caused this.

It will take an investigation to determine the answer.

 

[claudianunes]

If it was criminal, it's going to be really hard to prove it if everything is just... gone.

 

[flute4peace]

Wonder why this is being considered for criminal investigation?

My opinion is that it's SOP in a case like this. It gives them more resources for the investigation. From the little experience I have being around the fire service where I live, this isn't a surprise.

 

[Inthedetails]

"A fire alarm went off around 6:30 p.m. local time, Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot told the New York Times.

The cathedral was scheduled to close to the public at 6:45 p.m."

https://nypost.com/2019/04/15/tourists-ran-for-their-lives-as-notre-dame-blaze-erupted/

 

[flute4peace]

President of U.S. Bishops’ Conference Issues Statement on Notre Dame Cathedral Fire

April 15, 2019
WASHINGTON—Amidst the devastating fire taking place at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Pairs, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement to the people of Paris.

The full statement follows:

“The horrific fire that is engulfing the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris is shocking and saddens us all, for this particular cathedral is not only a majestic Church, it is also a world treasure. Noble in architecture and art, it has long been a symbol of the transcendent human spirit as well as our longing for God. Our hearts go out to the Archbishop and the people of Paris, and we pray for all the people of France, entrusting all to the prayers and intercession of the Mother of God, especially the firefighters battling the fire. We are a people of hope and of the resurrection, and as devastating as this fire is, I know that the faith and love embodied by this magnificent Cathedral will grow stronger in the hearts of all Christians.”

Beautiful statement!

 

[flute4peace]

deputy mayor of paris is being interviewed live on CBSN. He is saying that "many things", including works of art, were able to be removed/rescued prior to the fire taking complete hold of the building.

 

[pandamonium]

If it was criminal, it's going to be really hard to prove it if everything is just... gone.

You'd be surprised at just how much they can tell from what is left at a fire. My stepdad was a chief and taught at the Fire Academy--there is quite a bit of science behind fires and they can get a lot of information from them.

 

[Inthedetails]

That's going to be a heavy load to carry, if the workers' negligence was the cause of this disaster.

Yes, centuries worth of weight.

I have a feeling it's negligence and I hope it's on a procedural scale....not just something an individual did wrong this afternoon without thinking, because that would be horrible for that individual.

jmo

 

[FrostOwl]

I visited Notre Dame de Paris the first time in 1976, it's an awesome building, when coming in and see the hight of the roof far above and those magnificent glass windows, it was inspiring. I also climbed the stone stairs to the towers, and the view over Paris, and seeing the gargoyles close, it was a thing to remember.

 

[Inthedetails]

deputy mayor of paris is being interviewed live on CBSN. He is saying that "many things", including works of art, were able to be removed/rescued prior to the fire taking complete hold of the building.

Brave, dedicated people. I'm sure we'll hear their stories soon.

 

[kakadu]

Holding breath, crossing fingers.

Must be sunset about now too?

jmo

It's 10.10 p.m. and dark.

 

[Inthedetails]

If it was criminal, it's going to be really hard to prove it if everything is just... gone.

Fire investigation is very sophisticated. I think, at the very least, they will be able to tell if it was deliberately set or not.

jmo

 

[Trident]

I've started writing my memoirs for my descendants. I've lived through a lot of wars, assassinations, and other assorted horrors, but never did I think I'd be recounting the sadness and shock of watching Notre Dame Cathedral burn.

 

[LadyL]

I wonder if they will need to bring in people from other countries, if the magnitude of the fire will overwhelm their resources.

 

[Cappuccino]

I visited Notre Dame de Paris the first time in 1976, it's an awesome building, when coming in and see the hight of the roof far above and those magnificent glass windows, it was inspiring. I also climbed the stone stairs to the towers, and the view over Paris, and seeing the gargoyles close, it was a thing to remember.

Its a tragedy. Imagine all the things that cathedral survived through. Its stood since before Columbus sailed to America and now its just gone.

 

[PommyMommy]

Notre-Dame Fire Causes Heartbreak and Despair Around the World

People watched as flames and smoke rose from Notre Dame cathedral as it burned in Paris on Monday.CreditCreditMichel Euler/Associated Press

The fire that tore through the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris on Monday, collapsing its central spire and caving in much of its roof, generated an outpouring of grief in France and around the world as a symbol of the country’s culture and history burned.

[...]

Thousands of French citizens lined the banks of the Seine, many in tears or unable to speak, watching the flames gut the cathedral, which survived two world wars unscathed, as tens of thousands more watched on live video streams on social media or television news. Many expressed the same sentiment: They were heartbroken.

[...]

SL, who lived near the cathedral for eight years, watched it burn on television. “The heart of Paris and my country is being gutted by the flames. I am devastated.” Beyond being one of her favorite spots in Paris, the iconic symbol of the city held a special place in her heart, she said.

[...]

Another remarked on the “tragic loss” that the fire represented for France: A cathedral built over two centuries, completed in 1345, containing the priceless rose stained glass windows and other treasures of France’s long Catholic history, engulfed in flames that have done untold damage to the artifacts and Gothic architecture of the building.

[...]

 

[zecats]

The amazing gargoyles of Notre-Dame-de-Paris - PARISCityVISION
This one is often referred to as a mother-in-law. My photo from last visit.

 

[Keine Engel]

This is heart breaking to watch

 

[Hatfield]

Is anyone surprised by how wide width the flames were spreading all the way to the far left side and all the way to the far right side where the 2 large towers still have a fire truck spraying water into the tall broken window in one of the towers.

It seems like the flames spread so far wide so fast. Its hard to understand how wide this fire got so quickly.

I can understand the roof and straight up burning but I am struggling to understand how it spread so far wide width.