- This story is developing, more information will be coming soon.
A mysterious fire broke out at Rouen Cathedral in northern France today as visitors were ordered to evacuate the ancient place of worship.
Thick black smoke was filmed rising from its main tower late in the morning, in an area where renovation work was underway.
“Firefighters are on the scene and the cathedral has been evacuated,” said an emergency services spokesman.
The mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, said on X: “A fire has broken out in the tower of Rouen Cathedral. Its origin is unknown. All public resources have been mobilised.”
Local media reported that 33 fire trucks and 63 firefighters were at the scene, which was cordoned off. Public transport in the city of about 110,000 people was severely affected.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Thick black smoke was filmed rising from the main tower of Rouen Cathedral late in the morning, in an area where renovation work was underway.
The 1,000-year-old cathedral (pictured) was a favourite of famed Impressionist Claude Monet, who painted it several times in the 19th century.
The 1,000-year-old cathedral was a favourite of famed Impressionist Claude Monet, who painted it several times in the 19th century.
It was in the middle of a seven-year restoration project that began in 2017, according to France’s Culture Ministry.
Rouen Cathedral was consecrated in 1062, in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy, who later became William the Conqueror.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption – its full name – in Rouen is today famous for its three towers, and it was the main one, the central one, that caught fire on Thursday.
It is best known for being the subject of a series of Impressionist paintings by Claude Monet in the 19th century, when it was the tallest building in the world.
Local media reported that 33 fire trucks and 63 firefighters were at the scene, which has been cordoned off.
The cause of the fire is still unknown at this time.
The cathedral suffered direct hits during RAF and US bombing raids just before D-Day in 1944, and has been undergoing almost constant renovation work ever since.
The fire at Notre Dame in Paris also started at a site where renovation work was being carried out and is believed to have been started by an electrical problem or a discarded cigarette.
The fire in northern France follows the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which was destroyed by a devastating fire in April 2019.
More to follow.