The Paris prosecutor’s office says that there is no evidence from a preliminary investigation to suggest that a fire that destroyed large parts of Notre Dame Cathedral was criminal.
The prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Wednesday that several hypotheses about the cause of the April 15 blaze include a malfunctioning electrical system or a smoldering cigarette.
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The prosecutor’s office announced the opening of a new investigation for “involuntary degradation by fire through manifestly deliberate violation” of security rules or simple imprudence. Three judges will head the probe.
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The fire tore through the roof of the 13th-century cathedral, destroying the spire which toppled in flames and sections of the interior. It has left the crippled monument, once a major tourist attraction, barricaded to the public.
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