Notre Dame electrical woe is eyed
An electrical short-circuit most likely sparked the monstrous fire that devoured the roof and spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, a police official told the Associated Press.
The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said investigators have not yet sifted through the charred rubble due to safety concerns, but an initial assessment was made Wednesday.
The police official refused to comment on a report in Le Parisian newspaper that claimed investigators were looking at whether a computer glitch or temporary elevators used in renovation work may have played a role, the AP reported.
Investigators previously said they did not suspect arson or a terror-related attack.
They said the blaze that ripped through the medieval Gothic landmark Monday night may have been caused by an accident linked to a $6.8 million renovation project.
The project was focused on the 850-year-old cathedral’s roof and spire made of highly flammable wood and lead.
About 40 people already have been questioned due to their jobs at the church or their work with construction crews, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants to see Notre Dame restored within five years — in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
On Thursday morning, Macron held a ceremony at the Elysee Palace to thank the hundreds of firefighters who risked their lives to save the cathedral and many of its treasures, including its twin bell towers, rose windows and religious relics stored inside.