Fire Breaks Out in Spire of Rouen Cathedral in France: Main Highlights
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- The spire of France’s famous Rouen Cathedral in Normandy was engulfed in flames on Thursday, July 11.
- The blaze was quickly brought under control by firefighters, with no reported injuries.
- The centuries-old structure was under extensive renovation when the fire broke out.
- Construction workers were first to notice the blaze, and they alerted authorities about it.
- Firefighters worked to ensure there were no 'hot spots' left in the cathedral after containing the fire.
- The Rouen cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece, is widely beloved for its architecture and historic significance.
- Witnesses in Rouen found the Thursday blaze reminiscent of the devastating Notre Dame fire in Paris in 2019.
- Patrick Waeselynck, who was sitting on the terrace of a cafe nearby, recalled hearing people shout “fire” during the Thursday incident.
- “The first thing we thought was what happened in Paris, it was a shock of course,” he said. “But the police arrived, they set up a security perimeter, the firefighters arrived.”