French citizens joined global leaders to rally behind Emmanuel Macron in the aftermath of a fire that ravaged the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, giving the French President an opportunity to quell the political volatility that’s embroiled his government.Macron vowed on Monday night to rebuild the 850-year-old Gothic monument, an issue that’s united the French population across the political spectrum, with national parties suspending their European election campaigns and leaders from around the globe lending their support.The fire prompted the cancellation of a planned speech by the 41-year-old leader meant to allay the concerns of citizens angered over economic disparities and by a lack of trust in the political system. The address was an effort to move past months of protests by the Yellow Vests movement and bolster Macron’s popularity, which had taken a battering from a public perception that he’s out of touch and that his policies favor the rich.“This is an opportunity for Macron to reach out to the opposition to create unity in a fractured, divided nation,” said Bruno Cautres, a politics professor at Sciences Po institute, who cycles past the landmark every morning. “He can’t be seen as using this moment of widespread grief, but at the same time, people will expect all politicians to start working together, first for Notre Dame and hopefully, beyond Notre Dame.”The fire raged for about 12 hours, taking with it about two-thirds of the roof and its spire, and at one point late Monday night even the stone structure of the monument was at risk. The cause of the fire is still unknown but Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said nothing indicates it was started deliberately. Paris prosecutors opened a non-criminal investigation, a common step in such a major incident.The entire structure was a half-hour away from collapsing before firemen prevented the blaze from engulfing the bell towers, according to Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.Culture Minister Franck Riester said major treasures such as the “Crown of Thorns” and Louis IX’s tunic were removed to City Hall, while other relics were taken to the Louvre. The altars weren’t burned but will be removed to be treated for smoke damage, while the rose windows appeared to have escaped major damage, he said.The initial budget to restore the cathedral before the fire was about 150 million euros ($170 million), and may need to be increased to about 450 million euros now, according to Michel Picaud, president of the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris.Money has already started to arrive for a rebuilding that will take years if not decades. The Paris region has unblocked 10 million euros ($11.5 million) in emergency funding. The Pinault family of Gucci owner Kering SA announced it was giving 100 million euros and the Arnault family that controls LVMH said it pledged 200 million euros.In his canceled speech, Macron had been expected to announce middle class income tax cuts, indexation of small pensions and the abolition of the elite ENA school for civil servants, in an effort to assuage grassroots discontent, French media reported.The fire comes a a little over a month before France is due to elect its members of the European Parliament . According to Ifop’s daily rolling poll, Macron’s La Republique en Marche! party and Marine Le Pen’s euro-skeptic National Rally are tied at 21.5 percent, with the Republicans in third place at 13 percent. In the latest Ipsos poll, Macron’s approval rating fell 1 point to 27 percent.In the week leading up to Monday, political leaders from opposition parties were on television saying Macron’s measures wouldn’t be up to the task, even without knowing what he was due to announce. Hours later they were all expressing their sadness at France’s incalculable artistic loss.“For two years, all we’ve had are tortured words that go around in circles, and when we get to the finish line there’s nothing there,” Laurent Wauquiez, head of The Republicans, the largest opposition party in Parliament, said Sunday on BFM TV. Monday night he wrote on Twitter that “it’s a whole part of our history, of all of us, that burns tonight.” He canceled an EU election rally he was due to attend in the southern city of Nimes Tuesday night.Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party and one of Macron’s most scathing critics, said “This building is like a member of our family. For at least 24 hours I can’t feel and act like a politician.”Macron will have to walk a fine line, and tragic incidents throughout Europe have proven to be pitfalls for leaders who miscalculated the political severity of the events. British Prime Minister Theresa May had to admit that her initial handling of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which killed at least 80 people in a London apartment block, was “not good enough” because she hadn’t met victims on her first visit.Francois Hollande, who was president in 2015 when a terrorist rampage left 12 dead in France, saw his flagging popularity revive after the incident. Hollande oversaw a manhunt and brought international statesmen and millions of voters together in a show of political force, which earned him a temporary boost in his approval ratings.Leaders from around the world expressed their solidarity with Paris, including Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Macron will speak later Tuesday with Pope Francis , after having talked earlier with U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, whose populist government has been at odds with Macron, reached across the political divide.“A thought and a hug for the people of Paris,” Salvini wrote on Twitter. “From Italy, all of our friendship and all the help we can give.” </s> French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild the medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame after a major fire partially destroyed the Paris landmark.

Firefighters managed to save the 850-year-old Gothic building’s main stone structure, including its two towers, but the spire and roof collapsed.

The fire was declared under control almost nine hours after it started.

The cause is not yet clear but officials say it could be linked to extensive renovation works under way.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said it was currently being investigated as an accident. A firefighter was lightly injured while tackling the blaze, Commander Jean-Claude Gallet told BFM TV.

The fire began at around 18:30 (16:30 GMT) and quickly reached the roof of the cathedral, destroying its stained-glass windows and the wooden interior before toppling the spire.

Fears grew that the cathedral’s famous towers would also be destroyed by the blaze.

But while a number of fires did begin in the towers, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said they were successfully stopped before they could spread.

By the early hours of Tuesday, the fire was declared under control, although it is expected to take several days to be completely extinguished.

What is the damage?

Search teams had already begun assessing the extent of the damage when dawn broke over the French capital. The cathedral’s blackened stone and charred scaffolding were revealed to onlookers for the first time.

According to fire brigade spokesman Lt-Col Gabriel Plus “the whole of the roof has been devastated… a part of the vault has collapsed, the spire is no more”.

More on the Notre Dame fire:

A French view: The horror of watching our country’s embodiment burn

The images which captured a tragedy as it unfolded

Gargoyles and relics: The treasures which make Notre Dame so special

However, it could have been much worse. Mr Nuñez said that, had fire crews not entered the building, “without doubt it would have collapsed”, French newspaper Le Monde reported.

Franck Riester, France’s culture minister, warned that while the principal structure had been saved, the building was still unstable.

What happens next?

Already, individuals and groups are mobilising to help rebuild Notre-Dame. Hundreds of millions of euros have already been pledged.

Billionaire François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of the Kering group that owns the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent fashion brands, pledged €100m (£86m; $113m) towards rebuilding Notre-Dame, AFP news agency reports.

Another €200m was pledged by Bernard Arnault’s family and their company LVMH – a business empire which includes Louis Vuitton and Sephora – on Tuesday morning, according to Reuters news agency.

The French charity Fondation du Patrimoine is launching an international appeal for funds for the cathedral, a Unesco World Heritage site.

Visiting the scene on Monday night, Mr Macron – who said the “worst had been avoided” with the preservation of the cathedral’s main structure – pledged to launch an international fundraising scheme for the reconstruction.

“We’ll rebuild this cathedral all together and it’s undoubtedly part of the French destiny and the project we’ll have for the coming years,” said Mr Macron.

“That’s what the French expect [and] because it’s what our history deserves,” he added, visibly emotional, calling it a “terrible tragedy”.

Sections of the building were under scaffolding as part of the renovations and 16 copper statues had been removed last week. Work began after cracks appeared in the stone, sparking fears the structure could become unstable.

Mr Macron said the cathedral was “for all French people”, including those who had never been there, and praised the “extreme courage” of the 500 firefighters involved in the operation.

What about the cathedral’s treasures?

Emergency teams managed to rescue valuable artwork and religious items, including what is said to be the crown of thorns worn by Jesus before his crucifixion, which were stored inside the cathedral built in the 12th and 13th centuries.

A tunic, which King Louis IX is said to have worn when he brought the crown of thorns to Paris, was also saved.

“We had a chain of solidarity, especially in saving the works of art… [They] were able to be saved and put in a safe place,” said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. “This is a tragedy for the whole world… Notre-Dame is the entire history of Paris.”

Historian Camille Pascal told French broadcaster BFMTV that “invaluable heritage” had been destroyed. “Happy and unfortunate events for centuries have been marked by the bells of Notre-Dame. We can be only horrified by what we see.”

How has the world reacted?

Thousands of people gathered in the streets around the cathedral, observing the flames in silence. Some could be seen openly weeping, while others sang hymns or said prayers.

Several churches around Paris rang their bells in response to the blaze, which happened as Catholics celebrate Holy Week.

“Notre-Dame is burning, France is crying and the whole world, too. It is extremely emotional,” Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit said.

The Vatican expressed “shock and sadness” while UK Prime Minister Theresa May described the fire as “terrible”.

Unesco said it stood “at France’s side to save and restore this priceless heritage” visited by almost 13 million visitors each year, more than the Eiffel Tower.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel called the Notre-Dame a “symbol of French and European culture”.

US President Donald Trump said it was “horrible to watch” the fire and suggested that “flying water tankers” could be used to extinguish the blaze.

In an apparent response, the French Civil Security service said that was not an option as it might result in the collapse of the entire building.

Because of the fire, Mr Macron cancelled a speech on TV in which he was due to address the street protests that have rocked France for months. </s> In a tweet this morning, Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the company would be donating to rebuilding efforts to restore Notre-Dame.

Cook’s commitment comes as French companies and private families have rallied to the cause of rebuilding the centuries-old cathedral (and international symbol of Paris and France), which was largely destroyed in a fire yesterday.

In all, companies like LVMH, which owns the luxury fashion brands Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Givenchy; Total, the French energy giant; and the billionaire owner of the luxury company, Kering, Francois Henri-Pinault, have committed $450 million to reconstruction efforts for the church.

Firefighters saved the iconic cathedral from total destruction after a fire broke out Monday evening, but not before the fire ravaged the 856-year-old building, destroying much of its roof and its main spire.

After eight hours, firefighters were able to control and then extinguish the blaze, saving its two rectangular towers that flank the main entrance to the church, and relics, including the Crown of Thorns, said to have been worn by Jesus Christ before the crucifixion.

Apple did not respond yet to a request for comment.

This is a developing story and we will update it as we get more details. </s> French President Emmanuel Macron vowed Tuesday to rebuild the badly burned Notre Dame Cathedral in five years, as dramatic footage was released showing the heroism of firefighters who battled the blaze for hours.

“We will rebuild Notre Dame even more beautifully and I want it to be completed in five years," Macron said in a televised address to the nation. "We can do it."

“It is up to us to change this disaster into an opportunity to come together, having deeply reflected on what we have been and what we have to be and become better than we are. It is up to us to find the thread of our national project," he said.

Macron added that Monday's inferno "reminds us that our story never ends. And that we will always have challenges to overcome. What we believe to be indestructible can also be touched."

Macron's comments came one day after a fire raged through the cathedral for more than 12 hours, ultimately destroying its spire and roof but sparing its twin medieval bell towers. As the blaze roared, there was a frantic effort to rescue the monument's "most precious treasures," including the Crown of Thorns said to have been worn by Jesus.

NOTRE DAME'S GOLDEN ALTAR CROSS SEEN GLOWING AS IMAGES EMERGE FROM INSIDE SHOWING FIRE-RAVAGED CATHEDRAL

Also surviving was the Roman Catholic cathedral’s famous 18th century organ that boasts more than 8,000 pipes. Statues removed from the roof for restoration just days before were spared. The cathedral’s high altar was damaged by falling debris when the spire collapsed, an official said.

Although authorities consider the fire an accident, possibly as a result of restoration work at the global architectural treasure that survived almost 900 years of French history, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said the inquiry into what caused the fire would be “long and complex.”

Fifty investigators were working on it and are expected to interview workers from five companies hired for the renovations to the cathedral’s roof, where the flames first broke out.

Among those will likely be Julien Le Bras.

The young construction boss bragged about his company's ability to protect historic sites when he landed the lucrative $5.6 million deal to repair the famed cathedral's spire.

Bras, 32, owns the company Le Bras Freres. He has boasted in the past that "our first thought is to protect the values of historical buildings" and that "it's in our DNA."

The Daily Mail reported Tuesday that workers from his company are being questioned by investigators.

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As the probe into what happened continues, the Paris Fire Brigade shared dramatic footage of the roof of the cathedral engulfed in flames and billowing clouds of smoke. The incredible video also shows firemen and women racing into the burning building to save it from destruction.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> French tycoon Bernard Arnault and his luxury goods group LVMH have pledged 200 million euros ($226 million) for the reconstruction of Notre Dame, following a reported 100 million-euro donation from another French billionaire, Francois Pinault.

A statement Tuesday from LVMH said the luxury goods group and the Arnault family would make the donation to a rebuilding fund for the cathedral, which was consumed by flames Monday evening.

LVMH called the cathedral a "symbol of France, its heritage and its unity."

Pinault made the pledge to AFP and wrote in a statement, "My father and I have decided to release as of now from the funds of Artemis a sum of 100 million euros to participate in the effort that will be necessary for the complete reconstruction of Notre Dame," Buzzfeed reported.

Pinault owns the company Kering, which own luxury fashion brands like Gucci and Saint Laurent, according to The Hill.

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François-Henri Pinault husband of Salma Hayek poses for photographers on the red carpet at the screening of the film Tale of Tales at the 68th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 14, 2015.

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild the cathedral and says a national fundraising campaign to restore Notre Dame would be launched Tuesday.

The French leader says he is seeking international help to restore the Paris landmark and calls on the world’s “greatest talents” to help.

The catastrophic fire engulfed the upper reaches of Paris' soaring Notre Dame Cathedral as it was undergoing renovations, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the Western world as tourists and Parisians looked on aghast from the streets below.

The blaze collapsed the cathedral's spire and spread to one of its landmark rectangular towers, but Paris fire chief Jean-Claude Gallet said the church's structure had been saved after firefighters managed to stop the fire spreading to the northern belfry.

The 12th-century cathedral is home to incalculable works of art and is one of the world's most famous tourist attractions, immortalized by Victor Hugo's 1831 novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

The Associated Press contributed to this story. </s> LONDON, April 16 (Reuters) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth has sent a message to French President Emmanuel Macron to say she was deeply saddened by the fire which engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday and that her prayers were with all of France, Buckingham Palace said.

Elizabeth's oldest son Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, said he too was "utterly heartbroken" to learn of the fire.

In a mark of solidarity with France, Prime Minister Theresa May said the bells at Westminster Abbey would toll at 1643 GMT on Tuesday to mark the moment the fire began.

"Prince Philip and I have been deeply saddened to see the images of the fire which has engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral," Elizabeth's message said.

"I extend my sincere admiration to the emergency services who have risked their lives to try to save this important national monument. My thoughts and prayers are with those who worship at the Cathedral and all of France at this difficult time."

Charles, who has expressed strong feelings about protecting traditional architecture, said in a message to Macron: "I realize only too well what a truly special significance the cathedral holds at the heart of your nation; but also for us all outside France it represents one of the greatest architectural achievements of Western Civilization."

He added: "It is a treasure for all mankind and, as such, to witness its destruction in this most dreadful conflagration is a shattering tragedy, the unbearable pain of which we all share."

Prime Minister May said she had told Macron that Britain stood ready to support France in any way it could with rebuilding.

"President Macron has pledged to rebuild the cathedral and I have conveyed to him that the UK will support this endeavour however we can," she said in a statement. (Reporting by Michael Holden and Kate Holton; editing by Stephen Addison) </s> After an over 12-hour battle to douse an inferno engulfing Paris’ iconic Notre Dame cathedral, firefighters Tuesday declared success. The blaze entirely claimed its spire and roof but spared its bell towers.

Paris firefighters’ spokesperson Gabriel Plus told the Associated Press that “the entire fire is out”.

What was left after the blaze was a soot black shell of the monument immortalised in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. The cathedral had survived almost 900 years of tumultuous French history but was decimated amid renovation works at the start of Catholic Easter week.

In an interview with AP, Junior Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, “The task is – now the risk of fire has been put aside – about the building, how the structure will resist.”

One of the city’s five senior vicars, Philippe Marsset, told AP: “If God intervened (in the blaze) it was in the courage of the firefighters.”

“Notre Dame was destroyed but the soul of France was not,” Michel Aupetit, archbishop of Paris was quoted as saying by AP.

A massive blaze broke out at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday that quickly consume its spire and roof. Scores of tourists and Parisians had watched in horror from nearby streets as flames engulfed the building and officials tried to save as much as they could of the cathedral’s countless treasures, built up over centuries.

The blaze devastated two-thirds of the roof of the 850-year-old UNESCO world heritage landmark, whose spectacular Gothic spire collapsed as orange flames and clouds of grey smoke billowed into the evening sky even as the disaster that sent shockwaves through France and the world.

What was the source of fire?

Experts and investigators believe that the fire occurred during renovation work to overhaul the spire that had suffered damages inflicted by weather and pollution. Investigators are treating the case as an “involuntary fire”, not arson.

Firefighters blamed the renovation work for the fire. In the incident, one firefighter sustained injuries while dousing the blaze which at one point threatened to bring down one of the two monumental towers on the western facade of the cathedral that is visited by more than 12 million tourists each year.

As a saving grace, Paris’ fire brigade chief Jean-Claude Gallet had declared that “we can consider that the main structure of Notre-Dame has been saved and preserved,” as well as the two bell towers. However, Culture Minister Riester sent out a warning that the structure remained unstable.

The Holy Crown of Thorns and a sacred tunic worn by 13th-century French king Louis, two irreplaceable artifacts, had been rescued along with the church’s main crucifix, and placed with others at the Paris town hall.

Firefighters who entered the burning cathedral saved many of its treasures, although some paintings remained inside and risked smoke and water damage.

Monday’s fire sparked an outpouring of grief for the Parisian landmark. US President Donald Trump called the cathedral “one of the great treasures of the world.” Pope Francis, Japan’s Prime Minster Shinzo Abe, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, Denmark’s Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen and Norway’s Erna Solberg all expressed their sadness.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri expressed sadness over the fire he described as a “heritage and humanitarian disaster.” The Obamas were among people sharing memories of past visits to the cathedral. Former President Barack Obama posted an old photo of himself, his wife Michelle and their two daughters lighting candles there and expressed his grief. Michelle Obama tweeted, “The majesty of Notre Dame – the history, artistry, and spirituality – took our breath away, lifting us to a higher understanding of who we are and who we can be.”

French president Emmanuel Macron said he would seek help from the “greatest talents” in the world to rebuild Notre Dame, and many governments said they were considering contributions to what would be a significant architectural undertaking.

Russian President Putin said in a message published on the Kremlin’s website that the tragedy “struck a chord in the hearts of Russians.” He called Notre Dame a “priceless treasure of Christian and world culture” and said Russia is ready to send the “best specialists” to help rebuild it.

French tycoon Bernard Arnault and his luxury goods group LVMH have pledged 200 million euros ($226 million) for the reconstruction of Notre Dame, following a reported 100 million-euro donation from another French billionaire, Francois Pinault.

A statement Tuesday from LVMH said the luxury goods group and the Arnault family would make the donation to a rebuilding fund for the cathedral, which was consumed by flames Monday evening.

LVMH called the cathedral a “symbol of France, its heritage and its unity.”

The European Parliament in Strasbourg declared that the damage to Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral is blow to all Europe and all Europe will contribute to its rebuilding.

Promising ‘solidarity’, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told lawmakers: “Europe has been wounded. France has been wounded. Paris has been wounded.”

“We are all a little bereaved,” said Juncker. “Yesterday was a terrible day for all those who love France and who love Paris.

Pope Francis expressed shock and sadness at the incident and said he is offering prayers “for all those who are trying to cope with this dramatic situation”, adding that the cathedral is “a symbol of Christianity in France and in the world.”

The cathedral plays a central role in Frenchs society and has figured as a central character through the ups and downs of French history since construction began in mid-12th century. During the French Revolution in the 18th century, it was vandalised and plundered but would go on to feature as a central character in a Victor Hugo novel published in 1831, “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” which is credited with helping save it.

It 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.

The 12th-century church is home to relics, stained glass and other works of art of incalculable value, and is a leading tourist attraction. Its organ dates to the 1730s and was constructed by Francois Thierry. </s> A Crown of Thorns said to have been the one placed on the head of Jesus Christ, the Tunic of St. Louis (a 13th century French king) and bronze statues are among the first religious artefacts known to have been rescued from the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, which burst into flames Tuesday at 6:40 pm Central European Summer Time (12:40 pm Tuesday, Eastern Time).

The fire occurred as the Christian world commemorates Holy Week.

Flames engulfed the upper part of the historic cathedral, which is being renovated, including the central spire. The medieval roof structure, which is also known as "the Forest," burned down and the spire collapsed from the spreading flames.

"The framework from the 13th century is called a forest, because it required a forest of trees to build it," said Msgr. Patrick Chauvet, rector of the cathedral.

At the time of the fire, the cathedral was undergoing renovations on the spire at an estimated cost of $6.8 million. Steel scaffolding was erected around the roof.

Fortunately, the stone, copper and bronze statues, including statues of the 12 Apostles, were removed from the site days before the fire in preparation for the renovation. Investigators say the fire might be linked to the renovation. They have ruled out arson or a terrorist attack as the cause of the massive blaze, for now.

No deaths have been reported but one French fire fighter was seriously injured. More than 400 firemen from the Paris Fire Brigade are battling the blaze while emergency responders scrambled to save the priceless art and religious artefacts kept in the Cathedral.

Notre Dame spokesperson Andre Finot said "the (whole structure is) burning ... there will be nothing left. It remains to be seen whether the vault, which protects the cathedral, will be affected or not."

He also said they now believe "that the two towers of Notre Dame have been saved. We now consider that the main structure of Notre Dame has been saved and preserved." The famous bells of Norte-Dame are safe.

French president Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the storied cathedral and urged the world to help in its reconstruction.

"I'm telling you all tonight -- we will rebuild this cathedral together," he said. "This is probably part of the French destiny. And we will do it in the next years. Starting tomorrow, a national donation scheme will be started that will extend beyond our borders."

The Vatican expressed "great shock and sadness" about the fire at Notre Dame. It called the cathedral "a symbol of Christianity in France and in the world."

"We express closeness to the French Catholics and the people of Paris and we assure our prayers for the firefighters and those who are doing everything possible to face this dramatic situation," said a Vatican statement.

The Ile de la Cité, the island in the Seine where the cathedral is located, was evacuated during the blaze.

Construction of Notre-Dame was completed in 1345 more than a century after work began in 1163.

This article originally appeared in IBTimes US. </s> PARIS (AP) — The Latest on the fire that swept through Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral:

The chief architect of Cologne cathedral says it could take decades to repair the damage caused to the Notre Dame cathedral by a massive fire.

Peter Fuessenich, who oversees all construction work for the Gothic cathedral in the German city, told broadcaster RTL on Tuesday that “it will certainly take years, perhaps even decades, until the last damage caused by this terrible fire will be completely repaired.”

Cologne cathedral was heavily damaged during World War II and work to repair it is still ongoing more than 70 years later.

Fuessenich called the fire in Paris “a tragedy with a European dimension” as many churches and cathedrals across the continent were inspired by buildings in France. He said that “when the last stone was set in Notre-Dame, the first one was laid here in Cologne, and in this respect it affects us all very much.”

According to Fuessenich, the timbered roof of Cologne cathedral’s was replaced with an iron frame during the 19th century, meaning a fire there would be less devastating.

A representative of one of the five companies which had been hired to work on renovations to the Notre Dame cathedral’s roof says “we want more than anyone for light to be shed on the origin of this drama.”

Julien le Bras’ company has 12 workers involved in the refurbishment, though none were on site at the time of the fire.

Le Bras insisted that “all the security measures were respected,” and “workers are participating in the investigation with no hesitation.”

Various officials have suggested the fire could have been linked to the renovation work.

Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said the investigation is in its early stages and is focusing on hearings while the site is being secured.

Queen Elizabeth II has sent a message of sympathy to French President Emmanuel Macron after a fire ravaged Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.

The British monarch says she was “deeply saddened” to see the cathedral ablaze, and expressed “sincere admiration to the emergency services who have risked their lives to try to save this important national monument.”

British politicians and religious leaders have also sent messages of goodwill and offers of help in rebuilding the medieval building.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England, tweeted an image of the fire-damaged cathedral with a passage from the Bible: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”’

The Vatican’s culture minister has offered words of hope to France following the devastating fire at Notre Dame, saying the cathedral is a “living creature” that has been reborn before and will continue to be the “beating heart” of France.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi opened a Vatican press conference with a personal reflection on the cathedral. He noted it was a place of encounter for both believers and nonbelievers drawn to its beauty and in some cases, such as the 19th century French poet Paul Claudel, were converted to the Catholic faith as a result.

Ravasi, whose office oversees the patrimony of the Catholic Church worldwide, said he was moved by the scenes of faithful and tourists alike weeping as Notre Dame went up in flames.

He suggested that the Vatican, particularly its art experts at the Vatican Museums, could play a possible role in the rebuilding given their expertise.

The Paris prosecutor says there’s no evidence of arson in the Notre Dame fire and that they’re working on the assumption that the blaze was an accident.

Remy Heitz says the investigation will be “long and complex.”

Speaking Tuesday, after the blaze was put out, he said 50 investigators are working on the probe. He says they will be interviewing workers from five companies that had been hired to work on renovations to the cathedral’s roof, which was being repaired before the fire and which is where the flames first broke out.
French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announces an architectural competition to redesign and rebuild the spire of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral after it was destroyed by fire.