Fire engulfs Notre Dame; Marcon vows to rebuild historic cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral, which survived vicissitudes of centuries, was in flames Monday evening as a huge fire engulfed the historic building housing sacred relics and artifacts that made it a unique place

Hundreds of firefighters worked to put off the fire but the blaze caused the roof of the cathedral and a spire to collapse as Parisians watched in disbelief and sadness their landmark go up in smoke.

President Emmanuel Macron pledged to rebuild the cathedral together with all the French people.

“Our Lady of Paris is in flames,” Macron wrote in a Twitter message, as the symbol of Catholic faith and more than eight centuries old masterpiece of architecture burned.

“Emotion for the whole nation. A thought for all Catholics and for all French. Like all our countrymen, I’m sad tonight to see this part of us burn.”

Meanwhile, American and world leaders have expressed profound sadness over destruction in the fire.

Officials in Paris are investigating the fire as an incident, international media reports say.