Notre Dame cathedral in Paris is on fire.
The blaze appears to have broken out shortly before 6pm this evening.
Videos online show smoke billowing out of the world-famous cathedral:
#NotreDame on fire 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2o6fdFmLbC
— Liam Taylor (@LiamMTaylor) April 15, 2019
The #NotreDame fire looks horrendous. Hopefully no loss of life but looks like a *huge* loss of art and history pic.twitter.com/Rc9UtPj8Tl
— Josh (@Jatkins__) April 15, 2019
Police in Paris are urging the public to stay away from the area.
The city's Mayor Anne Hidalgo is also advising people to keep clear of the scene:
Un terrible incendie est en cours à la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. Les @PompiersParis sont en train de tenter de maîtriser les flammes. Nous sommes mobilisés sur place en lien étroit avec le @dioceseParis. J'invite chacune et chacun à respecter le périmètre de sécurité. pic.twitter.com/9X0tGtlgba
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) April 15, 2019
