Rouen cathedral spire catches fire, firefighters working to control blaze

The spire of Rouen cathedral in northern France caught fire on Thursday and firefighters said they were in the process of controlling it after earlier TV footage showed a thick plume of dark smoke rising from the building.

"We reached the site of the fire about half an hour ago now and we are in the process of making sure the fire is out. We will still need some time, perhaps an hour or so, to make sure there are no hot spots left in the area," said fire brigade chief Stephane Gouezec who spoke to several TV channels.

TV footage at 1105 GMT showed the plume of smoke had gone.

The fire brigade chief said 70 firefighters and about 40 fire engines were taking part in the operation. The part of the spire where the fire broke out was located about 120 meters above the ground, he said.

The spire had been in renovation for several years and was surrounded by scaffolding and a white cover.


Reuters