A major fire breaks out at Notre-Dame cathedral in central Paris on Monday, threatening a jewel of world heritage
The cause is not yet clear, but officials say that it could be linked to renovation work
A pall of smoke is cast across the French capital by the roaring blaze at one of Europe's most visited attractions
The main spire of the Gothic cathedral, dating back to the 12th Century, collapses but the two bell towers are saved
President Macron cancels major TV address to go to the scene and later pledges to rebuild the cathedral
Image source, Getty ImagesFrance 24 is reporting that French historian Camille Pascal has told a local news station that the fire is destroying "invaluable heritage".
"It's been 800 years that the cathedral watches over Paris", Mr Pascal said, adding: "Happy and unfortunate events for centuries have been marked by the bells of Notre-Dame."
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The University of Notre Dame in the US state of Indiana has tweeted that the fire is burning thousands of miles from their campus.
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The vicinity surrounding Notre-Dame cathedral, which is one of Europe's most visited attractions, has been cleared by emergency services.
The building is in central Paris.
Image source, Getty ImagesIn this photo from June 2018, workers are seen repairing the wooden roof
Image source, ReutersWorkers have been removing statues for repairs in recent days
Image source, Getty ImagesOfficials had launched an appeal for funds to repair crumbling parts of the church
Image source, ReutersRestored angel statues were returned to the roof last week
A Notre-Dame spokesman, Andre Finot, says the cathedral's wooden interior is likely to be completely destroyed by the fire.
"Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame," he told French media.
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A major operation is under way to tackle the blaze, the cause of which is not immediately clear. No injuries have been reported.
An area surrounding the building in central Paris has been cleared.
It comes as the cathedral, which is visited by millions of people every year, is undergoing renovations after cracks began to appear in the stone, sparking fears the structure could become unstable.
Last year, the Catholic Church in France launched an urgent appeal for funds to save the building.
Image source, AFP
Image source, Getty ImagesUS President Donald Trump has also tweeted, suggesting that "perhaps flying water tankers" could be used to extinguish the flames.
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Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesThe famous cathedral sits along the River Seine
Image source, Getty ImagesFrench President Emmanuel Macron has cancelled an address to the nation, which was due to begin later today.
He said in a tweet that he was "sad" for all of France.
Mr Macron will now be visiting the scene, an Élysée Palace official says.
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Image source, Getty ImagesOfficials are using water hoses to try to extinguish the flames, but much of the fire is out of their reach
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesA massive operation is under way with fire crews at the scene in central Paris.
Notre Dame fire: Flames have broken out at the cathedral in Paris
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, described it as a "terrible fire" and has urged people in the area to respect the boundaries set up by fire crews in order to ensure that they remain safe.
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A fire is spreading rapidly through the famous Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. Flames are bursting through the roof of the 850-year-old Gothic building, engulfing the spire, which has now collapsed.
Images showed plumes of smoke billowing from the cathedral and wafting across the French capital.
Image source, EPA
Image source, Getty Images