Wiring fault ‘led to Notre Dame blaze’

THE Notre Dame inferno was caused by an electrical shortcircuit, investigators believe.

They think it was accidental and are quizzing staff and workers who were renovating the cathedral.

The medieval masterpiece was last night being protected with wooden planks to support some fragile parts of its walls.

A Paris police source said: ‘We now think the fire was caused by an electrical short-circuit which was spread by the large amount of wood in the roof.’

This supports previous reports of a computer malfunction. An alarm rang at 6.20pm on Monday and firemen arrived ten minutes later. But they found no sign of a fire. Experts fear a bug in the system sent them to the wrong place.

Oak trees from more than 100 UK estates are being offered to help rebuild Notre Dame. The Duke of Rutland pledged wood from land around Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire and urged other landowners to follow suit. More than 1,300 ancient oaks – equivalent to 52 acres of woodland – were used in Notre Dame’s original roof. Most of the beams were destroyed in the fire, leading to fears they could not be replaced because Europe is no longer blessed with forests of giant oaks.

But 136 British estates yesterday offered timber from trees planted hundreds of years ago.

They include Hutton-in-the-Forest, Scone Palace, Castle Howard and Powderham Castle.

David Manners, the Duke of Rutland, said: ‘The trees in the original [Notre Dame] roof probably started growing over 1,000 years ago. We’re able to donate replacements because my great-greatgrandfather had the foresight to plant trees which would only be valuable long after he died.’