A massive fire consumed Notre-Dame Cathedral, gutting the roof of the Paris landmark and stunning France and the world, but firefighters managed to save the shell of the stone structure and its two main bell towers from collapse. On 15 April 2019 at 18:30 local time, the cathedral caught fire, causing the collapse of the spire and the oak roof. Both towers avoided damage. The extent of the damage was initially unknown, as was the cause of the fire, though it was speculated that it was linked to ongoing renovation work. Firefighters were able to save the facade, towers, walls, buttresses, pipe organ, and stained glass windows. Statues on the spire had been removed for cleaning and relics were rescued during the fire, but sections of the stone ceiling collapsed. First investigations indicated that the structure remained essentially sound. French President Emmanuel Macron vowed that Notre-Dame would be restored, and called for the work to be completed within in five years.
Since 1905 France’s cathedrals (including Notre-Dame de Paris) have been owned by the state. According to representative of the Aon’s French business the assets owned by the state are self-insured by the state. Therefore, it is an issue for the governmental officials, but not for the insurance market. However, there is an exception - if the fire were found to have been caused by contractors working on the site. The French insurer (AXA) provided insurance coverage for two of the contracting firms that were working on Notre-Dame’s restoration before the blaze which devastated the cathedral. AXA also provided insurance coverage for some of the relics and religious artworks displayed in the cathedral.
French President Emmanuel Macron said approximately 500 firefighters helped to battle the fire. One firefighter was seriously injured during the blaze. Many artifacts were saved before the fire spread to other parts of the cathedral. Because of the ongoing renovation, the copper statues that were normally on the now collapsed spire had been removed from the building a week prior. The stone vaulting that forms the ceiling of the cathedral remained largely intact, preventing the burning timbers falling into the building below. The billionaire François-Henri Pinault announced plans to pledge €100 million towards renovation and called for a joint effort to fund repairs. Soon after, LVMH owner and billionaire Bernard Arnault and his family pledged another €200 million for the restoration of "this extraordinary cathedral, which was a symbol of France, of its heritage and of French unity".
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