Notre-Dame Cathedral is on fire!

[Valjean]

«La structure de Notre-Dame est sauvée»

From Le Figaro:

"Le feu a baissé en intensité. On peut penser que la structure de Notre-Dame est sauvée, notamment le beffroi nord", a déclaré le secrétaire d'Etat auprès du ministre de l'Intérieur Laurent Nunez.

La structure de Notre-Dame de Paris "est sauvée et préservée dans sa globalité" a précisé le responsable des pompiers. Mais les deux-tiers de la toiture seraient en revanche partis en fumée.

The fire's died down in intensity, and officials seem optimistic about saving the "structure," especially the North belfry, but, from the aerial photos in Le Figaro, the roof's gone and the interior looks entirely involved.

 

[dianaiad]

Pictures are one thing, but I'm not sure we have enough skilled craftspeople to actually replace many of the original features to the same standard.

I have no idea, but it's certainly not a given.

It can be done.

...........and frankly, we have craftspeople who can replace features to a better standard. I don't think anybody wants to put Notre Dame back to where it was yesterday. It has needed to be renovated and fixed for a very long time, after all, and frankly, it needs to be given a new life, not the old one.

 

[dianaiad]

Timber framing & stone masonry are big things here.
I'm sure they can find qualified tradesmen.
The issue will likely be cost.

I wondered how long it would take this thread to become about Trump.
Regarding tankers....
A helicopter bucket system can deliver a controlled amount of water
by varying the capacity & height, which can expand dispersal. They
can also dump fire retardant foam.
But I doubt they'd have such things in Paris.

Probably not. Even the most controlled system is best used on wildfires where humans don't have a whole bunch of construction around. That's not something found in France as a whole, much, never mind Paris.

 

[ChristineM]

Indeed. My deepest sympathy to you, and to the French.

I simply like old architecture, when it gets destroyed it is a loss for future generations

It was a national icon and world heritage centre

 

[ChristineM]

Timber framing & stone masonry are big things here.
I'm sure they can find qualified tradesmen.
The issue will likely be cost.

I wondered how long it would take this thread to become about Trump.
Regarding tankers....
A helicopter bucket system can deliver a controlled amount of water
by varying the capacity & height, which can expand dispersal. They
can also dump fire retardant foam.
But I doubt they'd have such things in Paris.

France has had its share of major forest fires, i can assure you has such technical wizardry as fire retardant foam.

And of course Paris is one of only 2 cities in France with a professional, paid, full time fire brigade.

 

[ChristineM]

Probably not. Even the most controlled system is best used on wildfires where humans don't have a whole bunch of construction around. That's not something found in France as a whole, much, never mind Paris.

Wrong

 

[blü 2]

I have just seen this on the BBC News.

Notre-Dame cathedral on fire in Paris

Very sad indeed, and for a number of reasons; we'll find out in the next decade or so what 'not a total write-off' means.

It is, or was, up the top of my list of most effective religious spaces I've been in, with its ability to impose a special mood, peaceful and reflective. (The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is another.)

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I've been watching for hours, and am deeply saddened. I've spent a lot of time inside the cathedral, largely from my love of history, and having just enough Latin to be able to read my way through much of it (one useful thing about getting educated in the 1960's was learning Latin). I grieve for Paris, and for France, and for a whole world to l lose such a precious treasure. And while some of the art treasures inside were moved during the ongoing work, not all of it was, and that's lost. Oh, that beautiful South Rose Window!

Let's let everyone grieve a bit as well, before rushing off to "rebuild." That might be the right thing to do eventually, and if it is, money will be found, trust me. Personally, I think it would be a mistake to try and recreate a complete gothic treasure like this, and France still has Reims and Chartres, so perhaps, as with Wren when it was time to rebuild St Paul's in London, it may also be time to consider something more forward looking.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

 

[We Never Know]

It's certainly a sad day.

I don't know if someone has already posted this but the statues representing the 12 apostles and four evangelists were removed from the spire last week.

 

[Enoch07]

Great day for a smore!

 

[dianaiad]

Wrong

Am I?

I'm actually glad about that, but....would you tell me where the forests are in France, how many there are, and how big they are?

Thanks.

 

[Revoltingest]

France has had its share of major forest fires, i can assure you has such technical wizardry as fire retardant foam.

And of course Paris is one of only 2 cities in France with a professional, paid, full time fire brigade.

I was thinking that the forests would be far from Paris.
But I don't know, having never been to Cheeseatingsurrendermonkeyistan.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

I wondered how long it would take this thread to become about Trump.

As long as it takes you to mention him, apparently *eyeroll*

 

[Revoltingest]

As long as it takes you to mention him, apparently *eyeroll*

I was somewhere around the 4th, hence my addressing the prior several.
Did you not see that?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Oh how dreadful..

A fire has broken out at the famous Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris and has spread rapidly across the building.

The cause is not yet clear, but officials say that it could be linked to renovation work.

A major operation to tackle the blaze is under way at the 850-year-old Gothic building, but the cathedral's spire has collapsed.

Last year, the Catholic Church in France appealed for funds to save the building, which was crumbling.

A spokesman for the cathedral said the whole structure was "burning".

I think the appeal is international now. From what I understand it will take about five years to rebuild and restore the building. It's always sad to hear of historic landmarks falling to some kind of destruction. Hopefully the fire is out soonest and the rebuilding and restoration can begin asap.

 

[sooda]

I was thinking that the forests would be far from Paris.
But I don't know, having never been to Cheeseatingsurrendermonkeyistan.

You do know that after WW1 there were no men in France and the birth rate was in minus ???

 

[Revoltingest]

You do know that after WW1 there were no men in France and the birth rate was in minus ???

No.
And I don't want my jokes ruined with significant factual information!

 

[whirlingmerc]

I have just seen this on the BBC News.

Notre-Dame cathedral on fire in Paris


Our family gathered there to surprise my husband as part of his 50th Birthday celebrations in 1997.

I hope no one gets hurt.

 

[dianaiad]

France has had its share of major forest fires, i can assure you has such technical wizardry as fire retardant foam.

And of course Paris is one of only 2 cities in France with a professional, paid, full time fire brigade.

That's....self contradictory.