Notre-Dame Cathedral spire in Paris collapses, engulfed in flames

[conuly]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/notre-dame-cathedral-paris-fire-1.5098604

Comments

[cactuswatcher]

A real shock. As Hugo wrote at the beginning of the novel: `ΑΝΑΓΚΗ, 'fate.'

Poor Quasimodo!

[redbird]

I am suddenly glad that when I had a week in Paris, I climbed to the top of the tower, because I might not get another chance.

[moon_custafer]

I know -- it's irrational, but my reaction is to be terribly worried for Quasimodo and Esmeralda.

[siderea]

!

[jesuswasbatman]

It looks like somebody left their blowtorch on and unattended during the restorations. Far too much of that lately, that was the cause of the two recent fires that took out the Glasgow School of Art.

[cactuswatcher]

Careless use of blowtorches in building remodeling and repair is a major cause of fires, here in the States, too. It's almost the first thing you think of here when there is a major fire in a standing building.

[moon_custafer]

My second reaction is to worry that, even though the Paris authorities have already said this was accident and not arson, this is going be used to stir people up against Muslims and Jews. I’ve already seen online statements worded like “this one is reported to have been an accident, BUT there have been x number of other fires that were deliberate etc etc.”

[sabotabby]

Seriously???

*screams*

[conuly]

JFC.

All burnings of religious buildings I can think of have been perpetuated by Christians, so.

[conuly]

How can you be so careless with a blowtorch? I don't even let the kids leave the iron plugged in once they turn it off!

[wpadmirer]

This is so heartbreaking.

[dewline]

Is already being used to attempt that effect, I'm sorry to say.

[dewline]

And rooftop renovation accidents seem to have been at the heart of harms done in Ottawa's ByWard Market district over the weekend.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/byward-market-fire-vittoria-trattoria-accidental-1.5098436

[greghousesgf]

this is terrible

not as bad as first feared

[redbird]

This is bad, but not as bad as it sounded from the early reports. Both towers and the facade seem to have survived, as have all the movable artworks and saints' relics: https://twitter.com/KoliaDelesalle/status/1117865987670364160

Re: not as bad as first feared

[tielan]

Small mercies. But still.

[imhilien]

It was upsetting news to wake up to this morning. :(

[sallymn]

I hope (though it'sunlikely) it proves to NOT be human error, can you imagine how any person who made even a small mistake and had this happen would feel?

[conuly]

I somehow have trouble thinking of careless blowtorch use as a small mistake.