BRKG Nantes: Fire breaks out at Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral in the French city of Nantes

Melodi

Disaster Cat
And no, I don't think for a moment this is a natural fire - and it started near the Great Orgon - Melodi
Nantes: Fire breaks out at Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral
  • 1 hour ago

nantes cathedral fire
Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionSmoke could be seen coming through the windows of the cathedral
A fire that broke out at the cathedral in the western French city of Nantes has been contained, firefighters say.
Images from the scene show a substantial fire and smoke billowing from inside the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, which dates from the 15th Century.
The cause of the blaze is not known.
It comes only a year after the devastating fire at the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, one of France's greatest architectural treasures.
However, the local fire service said the damage in Nantes was not on a comparable scale.
"The damage is concentrated on the organ, which appears to be completely destroyed. The platform it is situated on is very unstable and risks collapsing," local fire service chief Laurent Ferlay told reporters.
More than 100 firefighters are currently at the scene. Crews were called out at about 07:44 (05:44 GMT), according to BFM TV. They have urged people to avoid the area.
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An eyewitness told the LCI 24-hour news network that he could see the fire from his home, not far from the cathedral. He said he was woken up by "a very strange sound of bells".
"From what I can see, there is more and more smoke," he said.
This is not the first fire at the cathedral. It was damaged by Allied bombing in 1944, during World War Two, and then in 1972, its roof was largely destroyed.
fire crews at nantes cathedral
Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionFirefighters urged people to avoid the area
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Melodi

Disaster Cat
A bit more from Skynews
Nantes cathedral on fire: Flames lick 15th-Century facade

Video shows smoke coming out of the front of the structure, with the stained glass window, between the two huge towers, blown out.

Saturday 18 July 2020 11:30, UK

The Cathedral of Saint Pierre and Saint Paul in Nantes on fire. Pic: Ludovic Stang/via REUTERS

Image:The Cathedral of Saint Pierre and Saint Paul in Nantes on fire. Pic: Ludovic Stang/via REUTERS
Why you can trust Sky News
Around a hundred firefighters have been battling a large blaze inside one of France's historic cathedrals.
Huge flames were licking the inside of Nantes' 15th-Century gothic cathedral's facade.
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The fire is thought to have broken out early this morning and French police said they were helping with the effort to quell the flames.
Video shows smoke coming out of the front of the structure, with the stained glass window, between the two huge towers, blown out.

Cecil Renaud, who works in a bakery opposite the cathedral of St Pierre and St Paul, told BFM TV: "It was a huge shock. It's extremely sad."

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Fire officers have said they believe the blaze, which centres on 'the great organ' is now under control.

The roof is not thought to be affected.
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Prosecutor Pierre Sennes told reporters three fires had been started at the site and authorities are treating the incident as a criminal act.
The cathedral was partly destroyed during World War Two after Allied bombings in 1944.
French firefighters at Nantes cathedral

Image:Firefighters have warned people to avoid the area
Nantes cathedral

Image:The fire has been brought under control
And in 1972, fire ravaged the roof, which was rebuilt 13 years later.
"It is a part of our history, a part of our heritage," the city's mayor, Johanna Rolland, told reporters.
"We all have these images in mind, this story in our hearts, but at this stage the situation does not seem to be comparable to that of 1972."
Prime Minister Jean Castex and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin were due to visit on Saturday afternoon
The fire comes just over a year after an enormous blaze destroyed the roof and main spire of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
 

Melodi

Disaster Cat
This updated in the time it took me to post - at least this time someone has let the cat out of the bag early - it is arson or suspected to be - Melodi
Nantes: Arson suspected in fire at Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral
  • 6 minutes ago

nantes cathedral fire
Image copyrightREUTERSImage captionSmoke could be seen coming through the windows of the cathedral
A fire at the cathedral in the French city of Nantes is believed to have been started deliberately, prosecutors say.
Three fires were started at the site and an investigation into suspected arson is under way, Prosecutor Pierre Sennes said.
The blaze destroyed stained glass windows and the grand organ at the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, which dates from the 15th Century.
It comes a year after the devastating fire at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.
But the local fire chief said the fire in Nantes had been contained and was "not a Notre-Dame scenario".
"The damage is concentrated on the organ, which appears to be completely destroyed. The platform it is situated on is very unstable and risks collapsing," Laurent Ferlay told reporters.
The cathedral roof had not been touched by the blaze, he said.
President Emmanuel Macron has reacted, tweeting: "After Notre-Dame, the St Peter and St. Paul Cathedral is in flames. Support to the firemen who are taking all the risks to save the Gothic jewel."
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Melodi

Disaster Cat
Organs are like tinder, highly complicated wooden structures with wooden mechanisms.
They are also (in Europe) used for public concerts, to teach music, and to generally celebrate traditional classical music and mainstream European culture.

Most could simply not be built or replaced today (at least not in their original form) the Great Organ at Notre Dam was less damaged than originally thought of MAY be salvaged to be played again; this looks like an intentional attack on this one to try to prevent it being used again.

A lot of Americans don't realize this, but a lot of Europeans use their longer vacation periods (especially in the Summers) do voluntary cultural stuff like sing in Cathederal or Public Choirs, put on musical festivals (from rock to classical) and the Great Churches are often a center for such public (often free) performances - destroying the organs and the locations make that harder to do and sends a horrific message to all of those who work hard and dedicate their "time off" to spread such wonders for everyone to enjoy.
 

Melodi

Disaster Cat
A bit of "good" news...fire contained from RTE (Irish National Broadcaster)
Blaze at Nantes cathedral contained
Updated / Saturday, 18 Jul 2020 12:10

Dozens of firefighters tackled the blaze
Dozens of firefighters tackled the blaze

A major fire which broke out in the cathedral in the western French city of Nantes, blowing out stained glass windows and destroying the grand organ in the 15th-century building, has been contained.

Prosecutor Pierre Sennes told reporters three fires had been started at the site and authorities were treating the incident as a criminal act. He gave no other details.

Dozens of firemen brought the fire under control after several hours. Smoke was still coming out of the Gothic structure after massive flames earlier engulfed the inside.

The blaze comes just over a year after a major fire at theNotre Dame cathedral in Paris, which destroyed its roof and main spire.

Local fire chief Laurent Ferlay told reporters 104 firemen were still at the site to ensure the blaze was completely under control.

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The fire had broken out behind the grand organ, which was completely destroyed, he said. Stained glassed windows at the front of the cathedral were blown out.

However, the damage was not as bad as initially feared.

"We are not in a Notre Dame de Paris scenario. The roof has not been touched," Mr Ferlay said.

It was not the first time fire has damaged the cathedral.

It was partly destroyed during World War II in 1944 after Allied bombings. In 1972 a fire completely destroyed its roof. It was finally rebuilt 13 years later with a concrete structure replacing the ancient wooden roof.

"The fire of 1972 is in our minds, but at this stage the simulation is not comparable," Nantes Mayor Johanna Rolland told reporters.

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Cecile Renaud, who works in a bakery facing the cathedral and alerted the fire services early on Saturday, told BFM TV she had seen huge flames inside the building.

"It was a huge shock. It's extremely sad."

In 2015, a fire that appeared to have been caused by renovation work destroyed most of the roof of another church in Nantes, the Saint Donatien Basilica.
 

Melodi

Disaster Cat
Nantes cathedral fire: Arson suspected as French firefighters battle blaze

Video shows smoke coming out of the front of the structure, with the stained glass window, between the two huge towers, blown out.

Saturday 18 July 2020 12:39, UK

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Firefighters battle cathedral fire
Why you can trust Sky News
A large blaze inside one of France's historic cathedrals is suspected to be arson, officials said.
The fire at Nantes' 15th-Century gothic cathedral shattered stained glass windows and sent black smoke spewing from between its towers.
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parsonswife

Veteran Member
This makes me so sad for our world. Destroying beutiful art, culture, history all over the western world. I remember traveling through Europe in college back in the 70's and what a wonderful time we had. I'm afraid this next generation will have no great travel memories
 

Plain Jane

Just Plain Jane

NEWS
JULY 19, 2020 / 5:05 AM / UPDATED 37 MINUTES AGO
Man in custody after Nantes cathedral fire - French TV


2 MIN READ

PARIS (Reuters) - A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a fire in the 15th century cathedral in the French city of Nantes that blew out stained glass windows and destroyed the grand organ, TV channel LCI reported on Sunday.

The man, a Rwandan refugee, worked as a volunteer for the cathedral and had been in charge of locking up the building on Friday night, LCI said, citing prosecutor Pierre Sennes.


Sennes said the man in custody was being held to clear up inconsistencies in his schedule.

He said on Saturday that three fires had been started at the site and that there had been no signs of a break-in. Authorities said an investigation for suspected arson had been opened.


The blaze began on Saturday morning, engulfing the inside of the Gothic structure in flames. Firefighters brought it under control after several hours and extinguished it completely by the afternoon.

It happened just over a year after a fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris which destroyed its roof and main spire.

Reporting by Paris Newsroom
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
 
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