Notre Dame fire: Cathedral blaze 'being treated as an accident' as firefighters continue to fight flames – as it happened

Devastating moment Notre Dame cathedral spire topples over into bed of flames during huge fire

The Notre-Dame in Paris has been devastated after a fire ripped through its roof and burnt large parts of the cathedral.

The medieval roof of the cathedral was almost entirely destroyed but photographs from inside show that much of the structure remained intact, after an hours-long firefighting mission.

One firefighter was reported to have been seriously injured in the blaze. The sacred objects and artwork stored in the cathedral were secured.

Emmanuel Macron has committed to rebuild the cathedral, and has promised an international fundraising effort to restore it to its previous state.

While the cause of the fire is still unclear, authorities said they were believed it to have been started by accident.

Follow our latest live blog here or recap our previous coverage of the fire below

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Key Points

• Spire collapses as entire frame of cathedral is ablaze
• Fire may be related to renovation work, though no cause has yet been found
• Police say no fatalities yet reported and there is no reason to believe blaze was not accidental
• Emmanuel Macron cancels planned speech

[15 April 2019 18:44 · Andrew Griffin]

The fire is now ripping through the spire at the top of the cathedral, which is a 19th century recreation of the original medieval spire.

[15 April 2019 18:46 · Andrew Griffin]

[15 April 2019 18:49 · Andrew Griffin]

[15 April 2019 18:49 · Andrew Griffin]

Numerous reports in French media suggest authorities are concerned that the blaze is connected to the renovation work, which is the reason for that scaffolding around the spire.

[15 April 2019 18:51 · Andrew Griffin]

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says firefighters are trying to contain a "terrible fire" at the city's Notre Cathedral. 

An AP reporter at the scene of Monday's fire says the roof at the back of the cathedral, behind the nave, is in flames and yellow-brown smoke and ash fill the sky. 

Hidalgo urged residents of the French capital to stay away from the security perimeter around the Gothic-style church. The mayor says city officials are in touch with Roman Catholic diocese in Paris.

[15 April 2019 18:52 · Andrew Griffin]

The Île de la Cité – the natural island on which the cathedral stands – has been fully evacuated. People are gathering in nearby squares to watch on as the smoke billows across the entire city.

[15 April 2019 18:54 · Andrew Griffin]

Macron's cancelled speech was pre-recorded, and was set to be aired later Monday on French TV. He had been expected to lay out his plan to address the citizen complaints that gave rise to the yellow vest protests that have rocked France since November.

[15 April 2019 18:55 · Andrew Griffin]

This photo from AFP shows the intensity of the fire and the damage is has already done to the spire, which is now entirely ablaze.

[15 April 2019 18:57 · Andrew Griffin]

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, has responded to the fire with a gesture of solidarity.

[15 April 2019 18:58 · Andrew Griffin]

Various commentators on Twitter – particularly alt-right voices from the US – appear to be trying to push the suggestion that the fire might have been started intentionally. There is no suggestion at all that it was, and emergency services are still treating the fire as an accident.