Smoke and flames rising during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday — AFP PARIS, Apr 16 (Agencies): A major fire has engulfed the medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, one of France's most famous landmarks.
The 850-year-old Gothic building's spire and roof have collapsed but the main structure, including the two bell towers, has been saved, officials say.
The fire was probably caused by accident, French prosecutors said on Tuesday after firefighters doused the last flames in the ruins overnight.
President Emmanuel Macron called it a "terrible tragedy".
Two of France's wealthiest men, Francois-Henri Pinault, chief executive of the Kering group which owns brands including Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, and Bernard Arnault, the main shareholder of luxury group LVMH, said they would donate 100 million euros ($113 million) and 200 million euros respectively. The city of Paris pledged 50 million euros.
Other campaigns were launched in the United States as well-wishers around the world pledged contributions via social media.
Officials say it could be linked to the renovation work that began after cracks appeared in the stone, sparking fears the structure could become unstable.
Paris prosecutor's office said it had opened an inquiry into "accidental destruction by fire".
A firefighter was seriously injured while tackling the blaze.
More than 400 firemen were needed to tame the inferno that consumed the roof and collapsed the spire of the eight-centuries-old cathedral. They worked through the night to bring the fire under control some 14 hours after it began.
"We are favoring the theory of an accident," Paris public prosecutor Remy Heitz said, adding that 50 people were working on what was expected to be a long and complex investigation.
One firefighter was injured; no one else was reported hurt in the blaze which began after the building was closed to the public for the evening.
From the outside, the imposing bell towers and outer walls, with their vast flying buttresses, still stood firm, but the insides and the upper structure were eviscerated by the blaze.
Investigators will not be able to enter the cathedral's blackened nave until experts are satisfied its stone walls withstood the heat and the building is structurally sound. Television images showed firefighters atop the towers.
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