Experts fear Notre Dame cathedral’s fire-ravaged roof could completely COLLAPSE in heatwave gripping much of Europe
- Europe in grip of record-breaking heatwave which threatens Notre Dame repairs
- Workers have begun the massive task of rebuilding the medieval vaulted ceiling
- Architects warn cathedral’s masonry and joints could give way in searing heat
- Parisians predicted to be left sweltering in record temperatures of around 42C
The heatwave gripping Europe with record-breaking temperatures is threatening to completely destroy the remaining Notre Dame Cathedral roof, experts warned.
Architects working to restore the medieval wooden structure that was ravaged by a devastating fire three months ago have warned the rising temperature could make their efforts worthless.
The searing temperatures gripping France risk precipitating the collapse of the fire-damaged vaulted ceiling, the cathedral’s chief architect said today.
The centuries-old Notre Dame was engulfed in flames in April when an inferno gutted the ceiling and sent the cathedral’s towering spire crashing through a part of the ceiling.
Chief architect Philippe Villeneuve warned the vaulted ceiling ‘could very well’ collapse due to the intense heat.
The damaged roof of Notre Dame during restoration work, three months after a fire devastated the cathedral in Paris
Parts of a destroyed ribbed vault and scaffolding are seen during preliminary work in the Notre Dame Cathedral three months after the massive fire
Damage to the nave and rubble pictured during preliminary work to the ancient structure, which began earlier this month
He said: ‘I am very worried about the heatwave. What I fear is that the joints or the masonry, as they dry, lose their coherence, their cohesion and their structural qualities and that all of sudden, the vault gives way.’
Villeneuve added that unlike the bell towers and other parts of the cathedral, experts had still not been able to access the ceiling from above or below.
Dozens of sensors dotted around the 12th century monument have shown no indication that it’s deteriorating, but Villeneuve is still worried.
He said the stone walls are still saturated with water sprayed by firefighters during the April 15 blaze and if they dry too fast amid the record temperatures it could damage them further.
He said so far the masonry is stable but the structure remains fragile. Specialists are working to stabilise the cathedral before reconstruction work begins.
Some parts of the building are so delicate, they are currently only accessed by remote-controlled robots.
Work has begun to repair the fire-ravaged medieval structure. But is is feared the roof could completely collapse in the rising temperatures hitting much of Europe
The landmark Notre Dame Cathedral spire as it was engulfed in flames during the blaze on April 15 this year
A worker cleaning the remains from inside Notre Dame during preliminary work at the cathedral today
The fire started in Notre Dame’s Gothic spire before engulfing the wooden roof and causing part of the stone vaulted ceiling to collapse into the nave below.
Eighty out of mainland France’s 96 administrative departments were on Orange alert – the second highest level of warning – on Wednesday as a blistering heatwave intensified.
State forecaster Meteo France predicted Paris would swelter in record temperatures of around 42 Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, the expected peak of the summer’s second intense heatwave.
The French capital’s current record of 40.4C (104.7F) was registered in 1947.
President Emmanuel Macron has promised Notre Dame will be rebuilt within five years.
Workers have erected a giant white tarpaulin over the gutted roof, stabilised the cathedral’s pinnacles and placed dozens of sensors to detect any movement.
Chief architect of historical sites Philippe Villeneuve said the repairs to the 12th century cathedral roof could be hampered by the searing heatwave
Parisians cooling off at the Trocadero Fountains next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on Tuesday as a new heatwave hits Europe
The blaze at the cathedral, built over nearly 200 years starting in the middle of the 12th century and long a symbol of Paris, prompted an outpouring of sadness in France and around the world.
French prosecutors opened a negligence investigation into the devastating fire, probing the possibility negligence was behind the blaze.
A badly stubbed-out cigarette or an electrical fault are likely to have started the inferno that ripped through the ancient wooden spire, investigators said last month.
Emmanuel Macron previously suggested the spire – which was not part of the original design but a later addition – could be rebuilt with a modern twist, angering some who say it should be put back exactly as it was.
Source: Read Full Article