Watch: Black Smoke Billowing Out Of Rouen Cathedral In France 

A 12th-century medieval cathedral in Rouen, northern France, was evacuated Thursday after black smoke billowed from the scaffolding around its spire.

Reuters reported that "40 fire engines rushed to the site and emergency workers set up a cordon around" the Notre Dame of Rouen Cathedral. 

Videos posted on X show the thick smoke rising from the cathedral's spire, which reminded many of the 2019 fire at Notre Dame de Paris, a medieval Catholic cathedral in Paris. 

"The incident comes a few days after the victory of leftist parties in the French elections," journalist Sachin Jose wrote on X. 

"I turn around and I see the cathedral spire, the tarpaulin which was protecting the restoration work, which was burning, big flames, black smoke," eye-witness Patrick Waeselynck told BFM television, who was eating at a nearby cafe at the time of the fire broke out. 

Waeselynck said, "The first thing we thought was what happened in Paris, it was a shock of course. But the police arrived, they set up a security perimeter, the firefighters arrived."

*Developing...

Authored by Tyler Durden via ZeroHedge July 11th 2024