Fire Damages Cathedral in Western France
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 3:21 am
Firefighters work to put out a blaze at the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral in Nantes, western France, July 18, 2020.
A fire broke out at the cathedral of Saint Pierre and Saint Paul in the city of Nantes in Western France early Saturday morning.
About 100 firefighters from Loire-Atlantique were called to the scene, authorities said.
The head of the fire department said the fire was centered on the main organ of the cathedral, which was destroyed. The platform on which the organ sits was said to be unstable and in danger of collapse.
The cause of Saturday’s fire is yet unknown.
This is not the first time that Nantes’ Gothic cathedral, built between the 15th and 19th centuries, has been damaged by fire. On January 28, 1972, the roof of the cathedral was severely damaged. That incident followed work being done by a roofer.
The cathedral was reopened to worship in May 1985, after more than 13 years of work.