(CNN) — A fire broke out in the spire of a cathedral in the French city of Rouen on Thursday morning.
The fire broke out at the top of the spire of the Gothic Cathedral of the Assumption in Rouen, northern Normandy.
Images posted to X by the Normandy regional administration showed smoke billowing from the top of the building, which is currently undergoing restoration and is considered a masterpiece of French medieval architecture.
The prefecture confirmed on Wednesday that the cathedral had been evacuated after the fire broke out and that emergency services were at the scene. A total of 70 firefighters and 40 vehicles were dispatched to the scene, with additional firefighters from the neighbouring Oise region also mobilised.
The prefecture later announced that the fire had been extinguished.
Stefan Guedzek, an official with the local fire department, said they were “compiling an inventory of operations that may be affected” by the water used to extinguish the blaze. “Some operations may have to be moved to safer locations,” he added.
Patrick Weselink, owner of a nearby cafe, described the moment he discovered the fire.
“On the first sunny day, people were sitting in the big outdoor seating area and I went to take their order and I heard someone say, ‘Fire!'” he told French broadcaster BFMTV.
“I turned around and saw the spire of the cathedral and the tarpaulin protecting the restoration work on the property were on fire, with large flames and black smoke coming out.”
Rouen Cathedral dates back to the 12th century and was rebuilt and reconstructed several times over the course of 800 years. It is famous for its three towers, each built in a different style, and was immortalized in a series of paintings by French impressionist painter Claude Monet in the 19th century.
The fire comes five years after a devastating blaze at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris destroyed much of the 850-year-old church.
CNN Wire
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CNN’s Julen Chavin contributed to this report.
