shock and sadness in paris as the eye clininic not too dumb to fedederal goes up in flames. firefighters are racacing to sae the twelfth century landmarkk afterr a blaze erupted on the roof monday evening. onlookers were horrified at the seveven hundred d f fifty tons y of the f famed catathedral colld before they're always. everyone in the crowd here very emotional. very upset. burning down at this very momen. there are no words. even describe what's happening right now h harris is collapsing [inaudible] horrible hororrible. by collapse my home. the final words a catastrophe

[inaudible] for the to see. why should your just? paris is deputy man has described colossal damage t to e of thehe world's most famous chararges. ememergency serervis and all scrambling to salvage the pricelesess works of art housed inside. but officials say the gothic buildings would in in teria is likely to be destroyed.. the eight hundred and fifty year old cathedral was in the process of b being renovated. with some sections on the scaffolding. i will come back to what is our continuing coverage of t those developingng eventnts o out that true dumb if you're just joining us this evening. let's remind you of what we know a major fight has broken out of the not too cathedral hit in central paris. i was made a medieval touch one of the most visited. site set in the world you looking that at some live images not. my apologies those are not -- live images those images though all of the french president and the prime minister short while ago who are not at the scene at

all dot extraordinary. at fontana let's begin then by going straight away to a mock up in his -- correspondent who is that at covering this for us out the note should -- up first where are you and what can you tell us. you know the one ninety thank you very much i just let you -- justly know exactly where i am class son b. show behind me you can see -- the welll still burning -- noted on cathedral on it looks very much like -- given what the experts are saying give multi especialista speculating about looking at the the end of note to knock at the door. given this fires continue to burn i can see on the main two towers which shall look very much intact the front of the truck with the usual as you approach as a tourist for instance. you go big square in front the policy to not put down and then you see the two main towers but they look as other intact there was some people. on top of it shining torches examining the damage -- we can only hope that taking the maximum amountt of cash -- going about that very delicate process

but behind them. it's the s same situation as ben since about half past six ten to seveven this evening when the flames that began to burn. and then they did a study on in the roof -- round about witith e renovations are taking place -- speculation of course as to how it started we don't know quite yet and waiting for the thehe first findings of the investigation that is probably what's going on behind us right now. those are flat sliced torches was seeing -- up on the main balcony that. of the cathedral that will be the investigator is on the way trying to sort of find some kind of clue as to why this happened the damamages cools as s extens. as the news images are shown as the image behind me i think tells what is a very sad story noted on the party -- very much looking in a very very sorry and sad state tonight not down below behind me -- on the embankment next to the famous river send their people gathered. people who begat the normally to enjoy anything and taking one of the most brilliant beautiful views in the world the sad not to die. it's a wonderful thihing to look

out on any night to sort of sit have a drink have some two weeks today people down that now singing songs -- mournful -- catholic songs -- t trying to gt some kind of faith together some kind of sense of unity in order to somehow process the shock that many people the feeling -- people talk about not to them that that he is as an old frien- the people who've lettuce kindly jews that balcony so we can have this access and see what's going on right now. they're in shock -- many people think sharing the same kind of feeling that sense of shock. it's's an eight hundred year old cathedral as as we've been hearing all the thing it's a place where worshippers happened for centuries. it was open at thirteen forty five napoleon was crowned emperor of france. in the orchard on cathedral to history the faith so many things that are good about france that represents. hole up in smoke it seems that the situation that we're looking at right now so. what we can see behind us is still don't get the joke? the flames still burning at the rear of the cathedral that the

roof appears to been destroyed completely. the spire the famous pie at behind that that is also gone as well. and without the some two hundred and fifty tons of lead inside -- that through space -- one can only imagine what the r result f that burningng might produduce n terms of fumemes given off. we don't know what was actually inside the roof at this point in time the could inflammable -- substances that which colton accelerated the actual extend to of the fire. but certainly the damage was seeing. these beyond extensive and sadly it's looking like it could be -- very much. a major rebuilding reconstruction program which could cost billions and billions of euros and that's the best case scenario because the worst case scenario is that this continues. on the whole cathedral is is basically a viable [inaudible] situation. you shall behind me not to dump

the body still burning. yeah malcolm we're just hearing than from a spokesperson from the interior ministry saying things also sirius tonight this is a from the associated press wire. talking to the interior ministry saying that firefighters say they may not be e able to save e not saddam cathedral at our school -- tonight so that is at the latest out that we have her. now we are bringing you special coverage throughout this evening out on fronts twenty four we have corresponded station for you throughout central paris you just hearing that -- from amoco and who's out at some outside the cathedral for us that's just remind you that of the situation as we know it. right now the notre dame cathedral is engulfed in flames this several hours then after the fight began the smile has collapsed. as part of the roof and within the lost out those flames of spreads the now -- inside one of the two towers of the cathedral also great it is those places that is that smoke can be seen throughout much of central paris tonight number wasting to hear from the french president emmanuel -- macro he's at the scene is the meeting with

members of the police forces tonight and we are expecting to hear from him and later on when we do we show. to cross straight away and bring in life those comments from the french president but also. just at this point and we have no confirmation as to what the courts of this a devastating fire is on the state -- that is possible according to officials on the scene that it could have been linked to renovation what that took place up on the cathedral the cathedral's than. in the middle of a six million euro out renovation project. let me bring in at mark hell to arise or next but on religion who joins me here -- good good evening to you thanks very much for staying with us as we continue to watch these. horrific events and central parts then we just ask the festival. what's your reaction as a french monsters to seeing a building like that -- going up like this. their actions. it is the same direction as the french people to date. i am not only at french men i am

a jew so. an interesting that. a i visited philistine the cut to that i'll move the date cardinal of parties who i said you. competitor to control the system and we spoke in the digital to both of us. and he explained that made the case study of cut that out. as you know on the front of the cut that they're all you see twenty eight sculpture. people who are that. the jewish kinks [inaudible] from seoul [inaudible] david salamone and the others. so the this is a pop to not only of the he sort of francis also topped off my she studied as a jew. and it's interesting that is nextxt we normally t think of te not saddam is being a real hot the catholicism in front of course as you say. it's something which how it ge has huge residents the french people whatever their religion. because you don't know the you

will have to allow a lot of protestants i infidels.. that way in n some some think. holy days s something h happeneu will have in thehe cut to that . jews wrote this down -- datate d it deputise of all the religion. cut to their i'll overalls. one of the fools b books i do that well as noted on the body will be don't you go. we soul i have it is everybobody saw at one of the movieies w was down. the musical.. this methodd of queen don't dont close this m matter are dodone becaususe you model. so the noted down his image to us i miss. it not only at the moment is mall as a monument. it the eiffel tower is a monument here is a meters. and miss. and so all day date.

phil said a option might actually well as when people call me from russia from poland don't they wanted to know in del language what i think about. what what we will be the deduction of our president who could pass himself to day to say someththing important to the french people? keep the belt there. you know where your speech as speech. twenty eight minute speech. so he you he will -- blige to change his speech on the mat. now we are waititing to hehear m the president surely. about a i think this is not t ts is bad for us but i it's not bad for him. because you. did not judy unify youth the french people. there there have kind of that sort you dot e. d. reaction now we are waiting to hear from the french press than yours we'll

see whether or not. you're right whether people will come to unify. today in this moment. you have a account update into fiction at a date the the the yellow blue gene that so odd they'll stick all position all position everybody is saudi tha. with what happened today. to france and i swelled to the french president. mark at matic helter that rise to an expert only justifies thank you very much for speaking to us do you stay with us that but i want to cross straits way then -- back to the scene of the noted down bring in our correspondent at mach -- in who is as standing by for us. not tell us he was he was giving us laddie than of the situation precisely. at the scene of the not t to die bubut we doo understand thatt perhaps the entire of the island's west -- did not saddam is written is based the eliciting has been evacuated to what can you tell us about the situation.

in centrtral parisis tonight -- elicited as you say very much -- a place that's in the in peril at the moment of people boundaries of the what to do that as you say -- the situation up behind i mean that's just give people a context not you don't get the job a note for them to about eight dominates elicited so anything happens that will have a masassive knock on effect. for the error and people will be told to get out of the houses and i moved away for their own safety att the outset a no brainer in terms of us what's been happening. at the f french by servicece and then the next -- one hour. nineteen minutes ago to be crucial -- to saving what is left of one of the world's great monuments behind us now for them to parry notre dame cathedral -- the affected as far as the massive -- i don't know if you can notice -- up high on the towers that is the team a trying to assess the viability and safety what's happening that and assessing whether the fire was catching on n there and causing damage to those. a very famous -- fun at tal was on the front of notre dame cathedral so a very brave team - going about some very essential business to see -- what is

viable of what is left of mustard on cathedral behind those two out front towers of of the famous cathedral the roof is gone -- the famous expire at the baback it's noticice left flash- two people here in france that's gone as well and up with it two engine fifty tons of that that made up most of the roof -- the damage is huge -- the firefighters s strugglgling to t any kind of control of the situation and it looks like it's set to burn for many hours yet but the word from the paris. of firee brigade is that the net sixty minutes ninety minutes ninety minutes duration of a football match for instance. that is gonna be crucial for the future of all what is left of notre dame cathedral. what we know at to at the moment rock is that there was an there has been no the injured as a result of this is that correct? that is the the blessing that we seem to have that nobody appears at this stage because of this there was too many unanswered questions.

but at this stage it is believed that nobody was injured the cathedral closer to visitors. before this fire broke out that was not about half past -- six tend to seven so you know members of public debate inside- we don't know whetether thehey'e any workers inside that's probably the one question mark that still is over this wholele situation because you understand it. the blessing is that no one has been killed -- but certainly the the curse is not the anti cathedral appears to be made on viable by the extent of this fire and it's amazing how quickly it took hold. yes there is a lot of wood in the structure of that of course would have been one of the problems -- to break if do straight through and across the roof a to cold very very quickl. to be questions asked about so what kind of substances modded up there and since the renovation -- what kind of materials might have been not lying around in place for the work that was on going that people visiting the official no- thought those masses scaffolding all around it -- and work on going part of a massive -- rejuvenation revamping of not to

talk with each which is in need of great renovation this is one of the greats -- sad things about to the future before today that said. the the french state was needing to appeal -- pacific to visitors and actually leaning towards the americans to donate money to tr- to revamp noted on the teacher to to revamp things that needed to be done up. to to deal with the style mace reaches. for tearing away that was being eroded b by the elemes by the weather over the years. old that seems kind of a few tom that when you think about what's happening right behind us now here life -- in paris and this is i'm here plus some be shallow and one of the most famous places to come to looking acros. at what should be one of the most splendid sites that you could ever have in this beautiful city. on sat lied see with a great deal of sadness that i'm looking across at turning. a feature of note should -- and the many. hundreds of people thousands of people who got along the banks

of the sent to disparities belief and in shock. that trying to somehow process so what is happening that's not a good teacher. it is in the process of perhaps burning down. mark thank you very much to do that is not -- in. at the scene for us as tonight but let's stay. at the scene that in a spring in one of our other correspondents he's covering the story for us and that's chris moore. and i believe that he's been talking to some people out on the sea and he joins me now chris -- where a are you what cn you tell us tonight? when the south side of the river said not a few hundreded meters away from --- not to tom have yu been heaearing from -- mall that one of the bookstore do things that's not so what is the number of people it kind of felelt compelled to come down. i witnessed thehese tragic evens for those peoplple is -- is jennifer whose -- franco american is that what you yes yes i'i'm a french and american. for twenty years has where you where would you dance about what was happening i was at home across town and i r received seveveral techniquess text messs

from my friends and family. and it seems it just obvious that the thing to do was to come here and be present and just for this moment of history. what if it is so important to come in i thought was a fitting up a lot of people have had? well i don't know actually i had mixed feelings about it because at the same time i thought -- is is just a i didn't want t to fel like i ias just cocoming to be a spectatator -- to to witness a tragedy it but i think that over powering that was a i need to be around other people who were. witnessing it and feel. what it felt like to be with people who are experiencing this event i mean it's it's a catastrophic? it's beyond all comprehension something you could never imagine after all. yeah what a thousand how many. nearly a thousananyears off history this is with stood how many wars how many -- battles and the fact that we might lose

this huge treasure that means so much to not only french people but people the world over is unthinkable and i'm glad i came because somehow [inaudible] at as horrible as it is i think it makes me feel bettete to know that therere are otherer people around we're also feeling. the pain of of this.. horrible event what is the domain means of prisons lilike yourself. well i mean first of all it's a monument of course but it's much more than that it it rep is symbolic of acceptance. is symbolic of of something eternal that withstands time -- unity between peoplple i mean is not just french obviously americans don't have anything to do with no to down but world wide it's a symbol of a place wheree you canan go to for peace it's always been open -- and beyond religion and beyond

spirituality it really embodies that feeling of unity in eternity and between people. human beings y you know and so o see it burn is like a big -- is a hugee pain so it's aa lot of pain and it's a pain that we'ree going to be going through. not only tonigight but and t the days and weeks to comeme when we learn more about it so i'm really glad i came it was worth it. jennifer african americans native -- two dececades describg what we've heard from a lot of people start this goes beyond religion and a lot of people just thought it was necessary. to come down to the the decides not -- to to be with other persons. chris thank you very much this crystal that for us -- in central paris one of full course one as we have the in the center of the city today covering -- that story for us will be checking back in with them throughout the next hour though but let's take a step backck hee would be hi hearing earlier on

today from. ordering as a lay now she's france's former minister of culture the head of unesco to his her speaking for earlier on reacting to those events -- in central paris at the not too dumb. very emotional and very sad. it's not just important french landmark. it's the very heart of french heritage. it's a heartbreaking site all french people and for the entire world. a treasure like that belongs to all of humanity. it's universal landmark that was also a unesco world heritage site. three hearing i'm from chris more let people like gathering at in at central paris as they try. to come together to shed the horrors of what's happening at the not to domestic listen then to a few others. i have gathered -- in the center of the city this evening. everyone in the crowd here is very emotional we're all very upset a part of our heritage is burning down at this very momen. there are no words.

i can't even describe what's happening right now paris is collapsing. the horrible horrible especially sold by collapse my home just. i can't find the words to catastrophe. two more -- about the situation then at than not saddam and the potential significance a historically and for the art scene of what's happening that let's bring it up on me who who not she's. an audit consultant who lives -- in paris she joins me now -- by phone good evening to you thanks very much. for talking to us i wasn't all consultant what's your sense about what may be lost. in the not too down tonight. i'm i mean it's completely tragic can just just from the outside one of my favorite paintings is old. is by john -- jack you need to have it told the coronation of obtaining which houses the scene that takes place in front of the not to damage the significant sickness computer what can it's it's kind of as is important in

say the what's missing witness abby was for turner in. it and it's time so. this is -- it't's it's it's p py pretty disastrous in the fact that it's looking like they're not going to be able to save this building. we're talking here as well about because met many of religious artifacts as well what do you know. about some of the religious items -- that may have been capped -- inside the not too dumb. i don't i don't know as much as that for me it's more about -- you know i grew up in england go into the cold cold institute. one of the most significant pain can go will always been -- i'll do not to down because my teeth painted it quite often and is and is what so when i was in paris is one of the first things that she went to raw than even enter a medium. so in that sense that it holds a kind of a much more all in store cool element going from being in terms of what was then that i i'm not so. i'm not too okay then what was inside. what is your sense i artistically than that that

maybe things in that that have been? lost handed me if it looks like the structure cannot be safe tonight. i i mean it's it's it's i mean one of you guys had it perfect it's it's completely world war then the revolution i mean i think the last time it was. it wasn't such a bad state and of any destruction was in the french revolution so it's management bible this time i think it building the thirteenth century. and now it it looks like it cannot be saved of course i mean this is a historical and in that sense it's that would help so much. and in a sense will be that's why because it has never nothing you know tried you could never happen at this stage so it is the fed is looking at the back of the old building so. hence why -- it's it's it's going for the fire is burning so so rapidly. will meet with us and not talking to us at that from central powers as well well some of the reaction to some of the art that. was inside the building thank you very much indeed for

speaking to us on the program. not just on when things wilil realally enjoy i it we have been hearing -- frfrom certain reporters was at a party march reporter i'm repeating this kind of throughout the evening but i think it's worth saying again. that a lot of the relics. and treasures as he put his of the building have in fact been saved because one of the priorities when the fire broke out at ten to seven powers time six fifty pm was. to try to retrieve and save what could be taken out of the building i thought time so for example the relic sold but the the crown of thorns which are housed in. at notre tom they have been saved at the were also sixteen copper statues and okay stop around the at the the the spire which were removed in the past week or so perhaps a little bit longer. in order to insure at docks at the renovations would take place in such a way that those statues wouldn't be damaged so. as a slight glimmer of hope in the midst of the tragedy is that that's a a lot of the treasures work at removed. when the fire started to burn in earnest and indeed? and to anticipation possible

damage -- when when the when the when the renovations were taking place so there is at least -- michael small glimmer that's right and i have lots more to show you online but props with i'll just order is a little bit first -- right james ninety that does james great and have you bring us a full of media watch lace ron as we talk through. as some of the online reaction - to what his missing at the not to down the but this of course i would get a reaction not just online today but from leaders up all over the world from the united states to germany. shelly said bonus me taking a look at some reactions -- from world leaders for us. is firefighters struggled to contain the flames and golfing notre dame cathedral alarmed reactions came from across france in the world. the menu and michael visited the site after tweeting the whole nation is emotionally struck by this fire. a part of us is burning wrote the french president who said he's thinking of all catholics. the fire broke out on the first day of eastster celebrations.

france's bishops o organizationn sasaid that one of ththe major s ofof the catholic faith is burng down. german chahancellor angela merkl said the burning cathedral dating back to the twelfth century is a symbol of european culture. adding the images are painful to see meanwhile donald trump tweeted the watching the images was horrible the us president offered some advice for putting out the fire like dropping water over no

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