Fire at Notre-Dame de Paris Successfully Extinguished

After hours of firefighting efforts, the blaze that broke out at Notre-Dame de Paris has been successfully extinguished. The fire completely destroyed the cathedral's roof, spire, and clock. Firefighters continue to cool the hot structures to prevent reignition.

The French billionaire Pinault family has pledged €100 million for the restoration of Notre-Dame. Fundraising for the cathedral's restoration has already begun in France. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the start of the fundraising, stating that Notre-Dame is a part of the French people's history, literature, and soul.

President Macron promised to fully restore the cathedral damaged by the fire, calling the incident a "real tragedy". He also noted that thanks to the efforts of rescuers, the worst-case scenario was avoided, as the façade and main towers of the cathedral remained intact. Macron visited the interior of the cathedral after the fire was extinguished. During the firefighting efforts, one firefighter was injured.

Some relics were successfully saved from the burning Notre-Dame de Paris, including the Crown of Thorns and the cloak of Louis IX.

A memorial service for the Armenian Genocide was scheduled to take place at Notre-Dame on April 22.