The Notre Dame Cathedral Is on Fire

Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral is on fire, and the fire has been devastating. Images from the scene are absolutely gutting, and video of the spire falling is difficult to watch.

The moment #NotreDame’s spire fell pic.twitter.com/XUcr6Iob0b

— Patrick Galey (@patrickgaley) April 15, 2019

As of this writing, the fire has not only felled the spire, but also collapsed the roof and destroyed the cathedral's wooden frame.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, although police are saying they believe it's an accidental fire associated with renovation work. It's too early to know definitively, though.

What I am desperately hoping is that no extremist groups will claim responsibility, regardless of the fact that they didn't start the fire, with the explicit intent of exploiting the tragedy. It is very likely, however, that, at a minimum, ISIS will claim responsibility in order to try to undermine Emmanuel Macron's government. And I expect Vladimir Putin will use this horrific event to advance his own agenda in some way, too.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries. As the fire destroys the building, rescuers are reportedly trying to save the artwork stored onsite. And the primary objective now is to try to contain the fire from spreading to surrounding buildings.

I don't even know what to say. It's such a horrendous historical loss.

I have never been to Notre Dame, but I know it's a very special place for many people who have visited or hoped to visit one day. So here is a thread to talk about it, if you need it.