An electrical short circuit was likely the culprit behind the fire Monday at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, according to a police official.
A French judicial police official, who wasn’t authorized to speak on the record, said that investigators have completed a preliminary assessment of the cathedral as they continue to investigate, the Associated Press reports.
However, investigators are holding off on examining the landmark’s interior because of safety concerns. The walls of the structure are being supported with wooden planks.
French President Emmanuel Macron recognized the firefighters who responded to the fire on Monday. They prevented the fire from striking the cathedral’s two towers and also preserved many significant relics and works of art housed in the cathedral.
“We’ve seen before our eyes the right things perfectly organized in a few moments, with responsibility, courage, solidarity and a meticulous organization,” Macron said. “The worst has been avoided.”
Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 and wrapped up in 1345. The cathedral endured some destruction from the French Revolution during the 1790s but was repaired starting in 1845.
