A fire broke out on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in the spire of the Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral in Rouen, Normandy. The blaze, which began around midday, has been successfully extinguished with no major damage reported, according to local fire services.
The fire started in a section of plastic sheeting covering renovation work 120 meters up the cathedral’s spire. The cause of the blaze remains unknown at this stage. The city’s mayor shared an image showing a column of smoke rising from the historic Gothic landmark. “The fire broke out at the tip of the spire, which isn’t made of wood, but rather metal,” reported the prefecture of the Seine-Maritime department to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Initial efforts to extinguish the flames were made by workers at the site, who then alerted the departmental fire service. The alarm was raised around midday, and a swift response ensued, with approximately 40 vehicles and 70 firefighters arriving at the scene. Three workers on site suffered mild smoke inhalation while trying to control the fire with extinguishers, according to local authorities.
Local fire chief Stephane Gouezec stated that the fire was quickly brought “under control” and was declared extinguished by about 5 pm local time.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who visited the scene at the request of President Emmanuel Macron, emphasized that the interior of the cathedral, especially the artworks, was saved. “The interior was saved, above all the works of art,” she noted. In a preventive measure, 28 pieces were removed, as confirmed by the local prefecture.
This incident draws parallels to the catastrophic fire in 2019 that severely damaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, where repairs are still nearing completion. However, Rouen’s cathedral has been undergoing renovations since 2017, with efforts to create firewalls within the wooden structure to prevent a similar fate and to reinforce the roofing vaults.
Rouen Cathedral, a historic site with construction dating back to the 12th Century, has a legacy of resilience. The cathedral’s spire, once destroyed by lightning in 1822, was rebuilt using cast iron and steel in the early 19th century. The current renovations are part of an ongoing effort to preserve this monumental piece of history.
As the investigation into the cause of the fire continues, the swift and effective response by local fire services and the proactive measures taken to protect the cathedral’s interior stand as a testament to the dedication to preserving this significant cultural landmark.
