Notre Dame cathedral is on fire!

[ithinkmycatistryingtokillme]

It's breaking on bbc news, from the pictures it's a major blaze!

Please don't let the North Tower collapse. If that goes it seems like the whole building will go

Is the BBC live? Look at those flames. The building must surely be gone :(

We spend a lot of time at the garden behind Notre Dame. We were there on Saturday.

BBC was replaying some footage from earlier, don't know if that's what you caught, seventysevenpercent.

The first images were from before dark, of course, and and now the evening has worn on.

One of the bell towers is quite clearly on fire. You can see the flames flickering behind the louvre boards. How awful. Ive only ever seen Norte Dame from the outside many years ago, but always wanted to go back and see inside.

This is heartbreaking. It's "just" a building, one that I have never even seen outside of pictures, but my stomach sank when I heard it was on fire. Centuries of humanity of gone into this, from the greatest kindness to the worst cruelty. Hundreds of hours of hard work by the most talented artists and craftsmen. So many hopes and prayers, some answered, some not. It's seen everything. And now it's smoke.

Watching parisians singing hymns whilst stood in the streets is very moving.

I've just read that it took almost 200 years to build.

DBro took a group of children to see Notre Dame today, he's texted to say how sad he is that they have seen it and now it's virtually gone, he says it's one of those moments that people will remember where they were. He's only a visitor and and feels like that so heaven only knows how the Parisians feel.

Notre Dame holds a special place in my heart and I’m extremely saddened by what’s happening right now. I feel as if I’ve been punched in the chest.

Nothing to add - this is so so sad

Could they stop using the word iconic, over and over? We get it!!!!

I wonder whether the screaming at the Michelangelo poster has managed not to scream at today's news?

We’ve been twice. Both times we lit a candle for our son. The first time was 3 weeks after he died. The 2nd was 2 years ago with our daughter, who was born 16 months after our first visit and never got to meet her big brother. It holds very precious memories for us.

BBC correspondent has, in the last five minutes, used the words 'eleven-teen' and 'stand-ed'

Mercifully however no reports of any casualties

@indyandlara

I've had enough of bbc. We are watching Sky till 10pm.

indy

Is the BBC journalist not English?

Indy

I just replied to the TV when he said standed!

My DD (who loves the ND) asked if they would rebuild it and I told her it took 200 years originally - hard to believe it might not be there in the same way in our lifetime

Some artwork and relics have been saved!

The biggest idiot on earth Trump needs to STFU up with his flying water tankers and 'must act quickly' tweet.
Paris has answered.

@SecCivileFrance
Hundreds of firemen of the Paris Fire Brigade are doing everything they can to bring the terrible #NotreDame fire under control. All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.

The 3 Rose windows were huge and so detailed - they dated back to around 1250.