The 850-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is currently on fire, and images and videos from horrified tourists are starting to appear.
Firefighters are working right now to try and control the blaze, but it’s massive. Notre Dame was in the middle of renovations, with scaffolding up and statues (thankfully) removed. Since the fire started, authorities have worked to clear the area of people, but the smoke from the fire is still visible from miles away.
What caused the Notre Dame fire isn’t immediately clear, but France 2 television is reporting that police are treating it like an accident. Reporters are also saying the roof has “entirely collapsed,” and there is video of the church’s spire falling.
According to The Guardian, Ile de la Cité, the island on which Notre Dame sits, is being evacuated by police. The outlet also says firefighters are still attempting to stop the northern tower from collapsing while "saving the artwork at the back of the cathedral."
Even so, it's unclear whether the firefighters will be successful. “We are not sure we are capable of stopping the spreading to Notre Dame’s second tower and belfry,” said senior firefighter Jean-Claude Gallet to The Guardian.
Meanwhile, people and reporters who have been cleared from the area safely are starting to post images and videos of the fire.
Credit: Cosmopolitan