Some social media users turned to Twitter to share images and videos showing smoke coming out of the medieval cathedral in Paris.
A fire started at the Notre Dame Cathedral in the centre of the French capital on Monday at around 6:50 pm local time, according to the fire department.
AFP reported citing sources that the fire could have been caused by renovation works that were underway inside the building.
Reacting to the reports about the blaze engulfing the Notre Dame, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the ‘terrible fire’ forced him to cancel a planned address to the nation that was set to take place on Monday evening.
