The Paris prosecutor’s office said that the results of a preliminary investigation into the fire that gutted parts of the famed Notre Dame cathedral showed no proof of criminal activity.
In the Wednesday announcement officials didn’t cite a specific cause, but listed a number of hypotheses, including a malfunctioning electrical system or an errant smoldering cigarette. Although they said there was no indication the blaze was intentional, the possibility of negligence was not ruled out.
“If certain failings, which may explain the scale of the fire, have been brought to light, the investigations carried out to this date have not yet been able to determine the cause of the fire,” Paris prosecutor Rémy Heitz said in the statement. “For now, there are no indications of a criminal origin.”
The executive director of a watchdog group told the Daily Caller in April that Christian sites in France have seen a 252% increase in vandalism since 2008.
The 13th century cathedral caught fire on April 15, destroying its iconic spire and most of its roof.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said the plan is to restore the cathedral in five years, in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
