Is there anything firefighters could have done to control the blaze that tore through Paris’ historic Notre Dame Cathedral sooner?
Experts say the combination of a structure that’s more than 850 years old, built with heavy timber construction and soaring open spaces, and lacking sophisticated fire-protection systems left firefighters with devastatingly few options Monday once the flames got out of control.
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U.S. Fire Administrator G. Keith Bryant says that with a building like Notre Dame, it’s nearly impossible for firefighters to attack a blaze from within.
Bryant says they instead have to be more defensive “and try to control the fire from the exterior.”
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The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities say that the cathedral’s structure, including its landmark rectangular towers, has been saved.
But its spire collapsed.