Notre-dame bees survive devastating church fire

The 180,000 bees kept in hivesinnotre-damecathedral that had been feared dead after this week’s fire have been discovered alive.

The bees were installed in 2013 on the lead roofing of the famed monument as part of a city-wide initiative to boost declining bee numbers. The monument’s beekeeper, Nicolas Geant, said: “I am so relieved. I saw satellite photos that showed the three hives didn’t burn. I thought they had gone with the cathedral.”

Mr Geant explained the insects have no lungs. Instead of killing them, the carbon dioxide in the smoke puts them into a sedated state. He said when bees sense fire they “gorge themselves on honey” and protect their queen. He said European bees never abandon their hives.

The good news came as the rector of Notre-dame said a “computer glitch” might have caused the fire that ravaged a large part of the cathedral this week.

Patrick Chauvet added that “we maybe find out what happened in three months”.