Notre Dame appears structurally sound after fire, as investigators look for cause

2019-04-17 6

Let's get the latest on the devastating fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,... we are happy to report that the blaze has been completely extinguished.
For more on this and other news around the world let's turn to Hong Yoo.
We hear many of the priceless artifacts were saved... thankfully... but what everyone wants to know now... is what caused this inferno...
Well Mark, French prosecutors have said the fire that tore through the world famous Notre Dame Cathedral was probably an accident as they have found no evidence of arson so far.
The investigators are working on the assumption the inferno was accidental.
About 50 police are working on the probe and they have been questioning 15 workers involved in renovations to the cathedral's roof, where the fire broke out.
Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz told reporters on Tuesday that the investigation will be long and complex as they will not be able to enter the cathedral until experts have checked its stone walls and the building is structurally safe for inspection.
Experts say the damage from the heat that reached more than 800 Celsius and the vast quantities of water that firefighters poured into the cathedral needs to be assessed.
France's Junior Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that although the building's structure remains generally intact, firefighters have detected some weak points, including the ceilings and a section of the French gothic monument's north transept.
After police and the fire services spend 48 hours assessing the security and safety of the cathedral, experts will enter it to retrieve some of the many treasures that live inside it.