By Nadine El-Bawab

Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral has been saved after the roof collapsed Monday as a massive fire ripped through the structure. Firefighters say the fire has been largely extinguished.
The area surrounding the cathedral was evacuated in case the structure fell.
A French Interior Ministry official had previously said firefighters may not have been able to save the cathedral.

Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral has been saved from “total destruction,” according to a French fire official, after a massive fire ripped through the structure on Monday and caused the roof and main spire to collapse.

The blaze burned for eight hours, but has now been largely extinguished, according to firefighters. One official was quoted as saying the two iconic rectangular towers have been saved, which will come a relief after one of the towers caught fire earlier in the evening. Earlier, a French Interior Ministry official had said that firefighters might not be able to save the cathedral.

“The worst has been avoided, but the battle isn’t fully won yet,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement outside of the cathedral. He also expressed his sympathies to Catholics around the world, the people of Paris and the people of France. The fire broke out just days before Easter.

“We will rebuild the cathedral together,” Macron said, adding that France will start an international fundraising campaign to raise money for the renovations.

French President Macron speaks outside of Notre Dame after officials declared that the cathedral structure would be saved. https://t.co/ohhf84VGxm
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 15, 2019

President Macron is treating the fire as a national emergency.

Residents living close to the cathedral were evacuated in case the building collapsed, said Paris Mayor Anne Hildago. The area surrounding the cathedral, Paris’ Ile de la Cite, was also evacuated, according to Reuters.

One fireman was “seriously injured,” an official said. That was the only reported casualty, according to Reuters.

#BREAKING: Shot taken from a drone flying above #notredame pic.twitter.com/JQmFF1xImV
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) April 15, 2019

The Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the fire soon after the damage began. Late Monday, prosecutors said their preliminary findings suggested the huge fire had been started accidentally.

Firefighters at the scene directed much of their efforts toward saving the artwork stored at the back of the cathedral, which had been undergoing renovations.

Notably, 16 religious statues were removed from the cathedral for cleaning on Thursday — for the first time in over a century — and therefore escaped the fire.

The Paris mayor and firefighters warned people to stay away from the area.

Un terrible incendie est en cours à la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. Les @PompiersParis sont en train de tenter de maîtriser les flammes. Nous sommes mobilisés sur place en lien étroit avec le @dioceseParis. J'invite chacune et chacun à respecter le périmètre de sécurité. pic.twitter.com/9X0tGtlgba
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) April 15, 2019

Je n'ai pas de mot assez fort pour exprimer la douleur que je ressens face à #NotreDame ravagée par les flammes. Ce soir, tous les Parisiens et Français pleurent cet emblème de notre Histoire commune. De notre devise, nous tirerons la force de nous relever. Fluctuat nec mergitur. pic.twitter.com/0kRRvAqNIT
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) April 15, 2019

At one point, as many as four hundred firefighters were working to put out the blaze, according to the Ministry of the Interior for France.

Earlier on Monday, a cathedral spokesman said the entire wooden interior of the Notre Dame was burning and likely to be destroyed.

wow. Let's hope such an iconic and historic building can survive this fire. #NotreDame #notredamefire #notredamecathedral #paris #france pic.twitter.com/j4qpcriCIy
— Andrew Curry (@andrewcurryla) April 15, 2019

Video showed people gathering near the cathedral as the fire continued to rage on.

As Notre Dame continues to burn in Paris a group tries to cope with what’s happening by coming together in song…#NotreDameFire pic.twitter.com/wfwh4zQhiv
— Angel (@AngelBlabber) April 15, 2019

The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and is famous for featuring in Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” attracts millions of tourists every year.

First photos/videos emerge on social media #NotreDame

MORE: https://t.co/OmXn0Zm5j4 pic.twitter.com/QZdG5XOUaD
— RT (@RT_com) April 15, 2019

Earlier on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron mourned the landmark in a tweet and canceled an address to the nation that he had been due to give later Monday evening.

Notre-Dame is aflame. Great emotion for the whole nation. Our thoughts go out to all Catholics and to the French people. Like all of my fellow citizens, I am sad to see this part of us burn tonight. https://t.co/27CrJgJkJb
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 15, 2019

After my last tweet, I got a couple DMs asking firefighting related questions about the #NotreDameFire.

I -like most of you- are watching from a world away. But if you’re interested in some profession specific things I’d note/be concerned of, you can follow this thread. pic.twitter.com/golMnbYsDK
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) April 15, 2019

#NotreDame: 'The roof has entirely collapsed, there are flames coming out the back of the cathedral as if it was a torch'@charli, Journalist at France 24, at the scene of the fire. pic.twitter.com/2B0IrMiDcL
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) April 15, 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, addressed the fire in a tweet early Monday afternoon.

So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019

British Prime Minister Theresa May also tweeted her support for the people of France.

My thoughts are with the people of France tonight and with the emergency services who are fighting the terrible blaze at Notre-Dame cathedral.
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) April 15, 2019

The Vatican released a statement that it was praying for firefighters and all “those doing everything possible to confront this dramatic situation.”

“The Holy See has seen with shock and sadness the news of the terrible fire that has devastated the Cathedral of Notre Dame, symbol of Christianity in France and in the world,” the statement also said.

Notre Dame had been in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding.

The President of the U.S. Bishops’ conference, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, expressed his support for the people of Paris in a statement.

“The horrific fire that is engulfing the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris is shocking and saddens us all, for this particular cathedral is not only a majestic Church, it is also a world treasure,” he said, adding, “our hearts go out to the Archbishop and the people of Paris, and we pray for all the people of France, entrusting all to the prayers and intercession of the Mother of God, especially the firefighters battling the fire”

You can see images of the fire here.

—Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

This article was first published by CNBC
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/15/paris-notre-dame-cathedral-on-fire-reuters.html and is republished with its permission.