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Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral Saved, Preserved After Massive Fire; Fire Ravages Notre Dame Cathedral In Paris. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 16, 2019 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. You are watching CNN's coverage of the devastating fire at Notre Dame cathedral. I'm Rosemary Church.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Max Foster outside Notre Dame. You can see the traffic is now flowing. An hour ago it was completely closed off, as many of them were trying to allow access for the emergency services to continue their work within the cathedral. Still embers burning but obviously the major flames have now died down. The authorities are saying things are in control.

Investigators will be looking into exactly what started this fire. We're hearing from the Paris prosecutor's office that they are speaking and questioning construction workers because there was construction going on when the fire occurred.

The flames went quickly through the cathedral's wooden infrastructure and through the famous wooden roof. The spire to the center of the cathedral collapsed on Monday. The roof was largely destroyed. Authorities say the twin bell towers that make up the building facade are safe. That's the iconic image so many of us are used to, thankfully still there.

Fire officials say one firefighter was seriously injured, which is remarkable there wasn't more. The mayor of Paris tweeted that the major art pieces and religion relics have been saved, including the crown of thorns believed to have been worn by Jesus at his crucifixion. The fire comes as Christians celebrate Easter this week.

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PATRICK CHAUVET, NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL RECTOR (through translator): As you can see, a monument that you love, that you live in, where you celebrate, a monument that represents so much of our history. It's a profound sadness and I said, oh, God, why?

Why? Because it's Holy Monday and, for us, it's an important week and to ask ourselves, Lord, why. I think I'll get the answer when I get to heaven, I think.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The sun is up. Jim Bittermann is up as well and they're managing to take stock today but the extent of the damage, what are you hearing from the authorities?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Well, Max, one thing is going to happen and it's happening right now. According to the mayor's office, there are a number of experts that are going through the building and start assessing the damage. Basically to see what can be saved from the infrastructure of the building.

Whether the walls are still solid enough, whether there's any danger to workers who will go in and clean up things and what could be used to rebuild Notre Dame as the president of France said last night, we are going to rebuild Notre Dame.

It'll take decades, no doubt. There have been architectural experts talking this morning, saying that it will be at least decades until Notre Dame will again resemble what we all have known.

There have been some things saved. You mentioned the crown of thorns. That's one of the things, the relic, meant to be the crown of thorns that Christ wore just before his crucifixion, in fact was saved as well as the tunic of St. Louis, which is a 13th century tunic that Louis IX wore.

There are a number of things that weren't saved, rather large paintings, huge paintings inside which were not able to be transported away from the fire. There's a lot of fear this morning that there may not be anything left of magnificent, 8,000-pipe organ. It was a monument, historic in itself. It was a historical monument in itself, the five- keyboard organ which, for many of us that had the privilege of living here had, in fact, heard a regular Sunday afternoon organ concert set in Notre Dame. No more.

In fact, the organ itself, which was only restored in 2014, has probably been destroyed by this.

And in any case, Max, some things will be able to be recovered and put back into place but it's going to be a long, long reconstruction project.

FOSTER: Yes, lots of people looking on in horror as this tragedy unfolded last night. Patryk Bukalski was at a cafe nearby.

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FOSTER: When did you first learn about this?

PATRYK BUKALSKI, EYEWITNESS: Well, I was at the cafe by this time so I didn't really see anything because the cafe is more hidden on the other side of Notre Dame. But we could clearly can smell that something is burning.

FOSTER: Yes.

[02:05:00]

BUKALSKI: Like the first we thought it maybe, it could be the kitchen smoke or something. Then the other bartender came to the pub and he said that actually the Notre Dame is on fire. So, it's something that you don't really believe but we have more drinks.

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: What sort of feeling went through when you heard that?

BUKALSKI: Well, I thought that it wasn't true.

FOSTER: Yes.

BUKALSKI: Or like, something is on fire maybe in front of Notre Dame. The other thing that what you think when something like this happens is probably the first thing is like maybe it's a terrorist attack.

FOSTER: Yes.

BUKALSKI: Since we know what happened back in 2015 and what France and Paris was going through. So, but then, so we left, me and my friend. And so, what we've seen at the Eiffel Tower at the back was actually on fire. So, the first thing I've done was I took the video on my Instagram. So, then we're standing there and staring at the Notre Dame surrounded by thousands of people.

FOSTER: Yes. What was the atmosphere like when you arrived?

BUKALSKI: I think silence. At the beginning, I think people were talking because are recording, talking with families and everybody was calling if everything is fine. And then after when the sun went down, I think that all the people were singing songs, I mean, praying but they were very calm and it was very sad of course. I mean, this --

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: What does this mean to the city this building?

BUKALSKI: It's one of the three or fourth most important building architecture wise in France. Like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame. So, it's such a loss. I mean, I'm still glad that we can still see the facade in front of the church.

FOSTER: Yes.

BUKALSKI: Even though I've not seen. I've seen this morning; I've seen the first photos from the inside of the building. It's horrible. The whole place is basically not there. It's horrible.

FOSTER: There's been, politically, it's been very unsettling in Paris recently. And then you have this, which is unsettling again, this symbol of continuity.

BUKALSKI: Yes I think it's so unfortunate. It's like too many things happening in Paris right now, too many things happened in France. This is one of the top things that shouldn't happen. I've heard that there were works happening since last days.

FOSTER: Yes, and I think construction workers had been questioned today. That might be a formality but presumably that's what we're looking at in terms of this investigation.

BUKALSKI: Probably. I mean, I don't want to say it's someone's fault, so...

FOSTER: But as you say, it's a relief, sadly, a lot of people in this current environment, a lot of people thought it was terror. So this is the sort of target that terrorists would go for to get attention. So it's a huge relief initially when you heard it wasn't that.

BUKALSKI: I mean it's a church, it's not like another building. We actually had a Notre Dame on fire. What I've southeastern, it's not possible. It's been 850 years. And it's something that has survived everything. And now in 2019, why would it happen right now?

Especially now in the times where we can do everything to save it with the technology so developed and now we have a simple problem.

FOSTER: Emmanuel Macron was here yesterday. Will probably be here again today. And you look to your president in times of leadership.

BUKALSKI: I'm trying not to go into the politics.

FOSTER: Somebody needs to speak on behalf of the nation.

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: I hope that's going to be OK.

BUKALSKI: I'm sure that he's going to -- he already said yesterday that we are going to rebuild the Notre Dame. I don't know if it's possible to build something that's that old but anyway I'm sure Emmanuel Macron will do everything he can to calm the atmosphere. Now it's very hard in Paris.

FOSTER: In terms of what you want to hear now, it's basically what's been saved and what hasn't been saved and what can be --

(CROSSTALK)

BUKALSKI: -- I would definitely prefer to hear what is saved than what was destroyed. I've heard the most important accessories (sic) I can say like --

(CROSSTALK)

BUKALSKI: -- but you cannot really save the roof. You cannot save the paintings. You cannot save the windows and (INAUDIBLE) in English, the proper word for this --

FOSTER: The stained glass window in front --

(CROSSTALK)

BUKALSKI: -- you have two huge on the sides, the left and on the right side. I don't know if it's in good or bad condition. This is the most beautiful work you can see inside Notre Dame I guess.

FOSTER: People, one heartening thing at least is the facade, which is so famous, the fronts, the two bell towers --

[02:10:00]

FOSTER: -- pretty safe. So that's reassuring.

BUKALSKI: The thing is that I was -- we were watching the fire last night from there. So we are seeing the facade. At one point the other tower, which is behind Notre Dame, collapsed, for us it looked like an explosion inside. So there we are thinking we weren't sure if (INAUDIBLE) inside. It shows again to a terrorist attack but (INAUDIBLE) it just fell down. So it collapsed and all the other parts started collapsing and burning and the fire was horrible.

FOSTER: It was a horrible thing to see. (INAUDIBLE), Patrycja, thank you very much for speaking to us today.

The investigation continues. We'll look at how this is affecting the whole religious community, not just Catholicism or Christianity here but religious groupings all over the world came together on this because each religion has their own buildings which are sacred and they can all relate to what happened here in Paris.

We'll be back in just a moment.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

Let's just recap our top story. A massive fire has ripped through Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. It is a dark moment for the City of Light. For hours, centuries of French --

[02:15:00]

CHURCH: -- history were reduced to ash. You could see the inferno from above here. The building's iconic spire has been destroyed and the roof is gutted. But not all is lost, firefighters were able to save the facade and bell towers.

Just days before Easter, officials also recovered priceless relics. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted this photo earlier. It shows some of the items saved from the flames. The collection includes a crown of thorns purported placed on Jesus before his crucifixion.

Nicholas Paul leads the Center for Medieval Studies at Fordham University and he joins me now.

Thank you so much for being with us.

NICHOLAS PAUL, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: So people in France and across the world are shocked and saddened by this news that Notre Dame was ablaze for so many hours, those flames are now contained and the good news here is that it was saved from total destruction.

But so much has been lost.

How difficult do you think it will be to rebuild, as the French president has vowed to do?

PAUL: I think it could be very, very challenging. I don't actually know exactly what is happened inside the building, it's tough to tell all kinds of structural work will need to be done to reinforce the remains. But I think it will be a very significant challenge. But one that I think a lot of us hope will be taken.

CHURCH: Absolutely. And, of course, Notre Dame took centuries to build; it stands as a remarkable architecture symbol for religion as well as culture in France. Talk to us about its significance to the people of France and indeed people around the world?

PAUL: As a cathedral church of the city of Paris it witnessed the rise of first the city and then the medieval kingdom of France to great prominence. And because of the significance of Paris as a cultural and intellectual center, it was there for a tremendous developments that happened in the city. It witnessed so much in terms of Paris' history.

I think that's one of the reasons why this fire has been felt so keenly and why there's such a feeling of trauma amongst so many people watching because of the centrality of the church to the identity of Paris and to France.

CHURCH: That's the thing isn't it?

It's centuries old and there it stands as an incredible symbol and yet in this modern era so difficult and so isolated to get to so that fire trucks to get in there and actually put out the flames.

And they did some great work trying to do that. But it was a challenge getting into that area at peak hour as well. Talk to us about that and how difficult it is to save symbols like this.

PAUL: Well, first of all, just to say and state the obvious. Its centrality, when we say it's so important and so symbolic, it's right at the center of the medieval city of Paris. And those medieval town centers are notoriously difficult places to reach and what we think of being a modern convenient transportation and utilities. So those were two sides of the same sword. On the other hand, in

terms of what has been lost in the building, from what I've heard -- we don't exactly know -- the parts I think the medieval historians and more generally are the most concerned about are the windows which may have been lost, the great rose windows, which are really monuments of medieval gothic art.

If those have been lost, then that would be a great tragedy.

CHURCH: And, of course, they were trying to remake them but it will never be the same. The spire, that was built in the 19th century. So that is a completely different project.

PAUL: That's right. And a lot of parts of the building, even the ones we think of as being the most ancient, a lot of them actually were the work of restoration projects. Primarily in the 19th century. The great architect was involved with the restoration of Notre Dame. And there was an attempt to amplify the building, to perfect the building, complete the building and to add on details which emphasized its medieval nature.

So many of those details actually date back to the 19th century. But, of course, the structure of the building, so much of its sculpture and art, its windows and all of that was the product of centuries of work by generations of craftspeople living in Paris, putting it together. So really the product of a community's time.

[02:20:00]

CHURCH: Notre Dame attracts more than 13 million visitors a year. That won't be happening for some time. But no doubt once it is rebuilt, many more people will come to see this incredible symbol. Thankfully, the facade was saved and a lot of what you're studying, the medieval part, has been able to withstand this fire.

PAUL: That's right. We heard today that also some of the treasures of the treasury were also saved. I heard reports that some of them were saved. That's one of the great fears as well, not just for the fabric of the building itself but also for some of the artworks it contains, which is also part of the reason that people come to visit the church.

It's really remarkable how iconic it is. And how it's such a destination for visitors to France, even though Paris does not want for other fabulous monuments but this is one that really occupies the central attention in Paris.

CHURCH: Thankfully, because of the restoration, some of the artwork and some of the statues had already been removed but this is still a very devastating week for the French and the holy week as well. Thank you so much, Nicolas Paul, for joining us. We appreciate it.

PAUL: Thank you.

CHURCH: And we turn to U.S. politics now and the attorney general is set to release a redacted version of the Mueller report Thursday. And that appears to have the White House on edge. Jim Acosta reports president Donald Trump is lashing out to the special counsel among other targets.

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Traveling to Minnesota to tout his tax cut, President Trump appeared to have the 2020 campaign on his mind.

TRUMP: We may have the best economy we've ever had. Everything that we've done can be undone and bad, bad things can happen.

ACOSTA: The President seems to have more immediate concerns, namely the Trump administration's plan to released a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's finding to the public on Thursday.

Even before all of the facts are in, Mr. Trump is alleging he is the victim. Tweeting, "they spied on my campaign, we will never forget."

The President's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani who's expected to release a rebuttal of the Mueller is set to release a rebuttal of the Mueller report piled.

RUDY GIULIANI, TRUMP PERSONAL LAWYER: I think it was the product of -- you want to call it a political dirty trick, or you want to call it a crime. I don't know. I think that collusion will leave that question on. How did this come about?

ACOSTA: The President also tweeted "Mueller and Attorney General William Barr, based on Mueller's findings and great intelligence, have already ruled no collusion, no obstruction, investigate the investigators."

But that's not true. Mueller did not reach a conclusion on obstruction, Barr did. Mr. Trump's attacks on Mueller's team run counter to his comment last month when he said the Special Counsel had acted honorably.

The President is continuing to talk up the idea sending undocumented immigrants to sanctuary cities. Tweeting, "Those illegal immigrants who can no longer be legally held, Congress must fix the laws and loopholes, will be subject to Homeland Security. Given the sanctuary cities and states.

But in the past the President has promised to deport the undocumented out of the country, not ship them around from city to city

TRUMP: Anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country and back to the country from which they came.

ACOSTA: The President is also coming under intense criticism for slamming Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with a tweet that featured video of the Minnesota Democrat along with images from the 9/11 attack. "Since the President's tweet Friday evening, I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life. Many, directly referencing or replying to the President's video."

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE PRESSS PRESS SECRETARY: And certainly the President is wishing no ill will and certainly not violence towards anyone.

ACOSTA: Democrats say the President has gone too far.

SENATOR CORY BOOKER (D-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Nothing she said is deserving of what's happening to her and that the President is doing to her.

This is a reprehensible attack on her. It's trying to incite anti- Islamic feelings.

ACOSTA: The President is also standing against Democratic attempts to obtain his tax returns, as his legal team has told the Treasury Department in a letter that those documents shouldn't be handed over. The White House says lawmakers wouldn't understand Mr. Trump's returns anyway despite the fact that there are an estimated 10 accountants in Congress.

SANDERS: This is a dangerous, dangerous road. And frankly, Chris, I don't think Congress particularly not this group of congressmen and women are smart enough to look through the thousands of pages that I would assume that President Trump's taxes will be.

ACOSTA: That issue aside, it's the release of the Mueller report finding that has much of Washington on the edge of its seat. An administration official insist the White House is not concerned about what will be in those findings. But acknowledges, there is a curiosity about the unknown.

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ACOSTA: Jim Acosta, CNN, the White House.

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CHURCH: And when we come back, we will have much more on the fire at Notre Dame, including a look at the cathedral's rich history and its importance to the French people. But first, a poignant view of the Paris skyline last night, showing smoke and flames rising from the cathedral with light from the city's other major icon, the Eiffel Tower, shining bright. Stay with us.

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FOSTER: Welcome back to Paris. At the Notre Dame cathedral, investigation is underway into what caused that huge blaze which destroyed most of the roof. We're getting a sense of that really today, high up there in the bell towers the firefighters are moving around, trying to assess the damage. And also trying to work out what caused this fire.

There are investigations underway. The Paris prosecutor's office is involved and we understand they are speaking to some construction workers that we assume were working on the building.

[02:30:00] Officials say the fire is under control now though, not before it did damage toppling the distinctive spire and destroying the building's roof, the wooden infrastructure. That roof was famously -- this big wooden infrastructure, ancient and very historic and now largely lost.

The firefighter -- one of the firefighters was seriously injured. But amazing there weren't more injuries. The initial call report of the fire and the cathedral's attic fire, and looking at it from above you can see just how massive the fire grew. There was also construction taking place and scaffolding around the building. The French President Emmanuel Macron calling for international fundraising efforts to rebuild.

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EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): The Notre Dame of Paris is our history, our literature, our imagination. The place where we have lived all our great moments are epidemics, our wars, our liberation. It is the epicenter of our lives. It is the benchmark from which distances started and from which we measure ourselves from in Paris. It appears in so many books, so many paintings.

It's a cathedral that is one is all French men and women even those who have never come here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The roads are now open. They were all closed up around this area to allow the emergency services in. Nic Robertson was here all night.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: What two world wars and a bloody revolution failed to do has this Monday been horribly rot upon one of the world's most beautiful and best loved buildings. Paris is fabled Notre Dame Cathedral have been burned. Its graceful form rendered black and in places barely recognizable. It is calamity of incalculable proportions. The iconic heart of one of Europe's noblest nations has been pierced.

Gasps rose from the crowd as the towering flames took hold late afternoon.

ROBERTSON: Other saying hymns as the slender spire succumb to the inferno leaning and toppling everyone touched by the tragedy. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was terrific. We had the tower full and it

was -- we heard the sound and people screamed.

ROBERTSON: The Catholic Cathedral had stood here for almost 900 years. Built in the French gothic style fame for the flying buttresses that support its walls and the red volt sealing. A place where emperors came to be crowned. And great leaders laid to rest. It has been at the center of the French light for more generations than anyone here can remember. A place of prayer and of praise, of solace, a place all others in France had measured from. A cultural anchor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's so sad. Everyone is so sad. People can't realize this happened. We're going to have to wake up tomorrow, wake up today (INAUDIBLE) it's gone.

ROBERTSON: More than 400 firefighters fought the blaze laid into the night. Eventually taming this consuming fury.

MACRON: What happened tonight and Notre Dame is a terrible tragedy. On behalf of the whole nation, I want to thank all the firefighters who fought and are still fighting the flames. Thanks to their bravery, the worst has been avoided.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Well inside, there were some famous historic artifacts crucial to many tenants' Christianity but also a huge national significance to France. Some of them were rescued during the fire which is incredible when you think of the scale of the inferno. Cyril Vanier now looks at what was saved but also what might have been lost.

CYRIL VANIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Notre Dame is 850 years of French history. We don't know the full extent of the destruction just yet. But we do know that at least some of that history has gone up in smoke. But we fear for instance that the great organ may not have been saved. It's the largest organ in France, one of the most famous in the world. It's still contained pipes from the Middle Ages when it was built.

It's hard to imagine how that might have survived. In fact, anything that's made of wood might be gone. That includes parts of the tapestry of sculptures inside that was inside the cathedral. Like these here from the 14th Century. Also the rose windows. We don't know what state therein. If the glass survived the blaze. They're one of the most recognizable architectural features of Notre Dame.

Immense round stained glass windows over the main portals. Again, this date back to the 13th Century, if you have visited Paris and you have been to Notre Dame, you probably seen them.

[02:35:04] The Cathedral is an architectural treasure, no doubt. It also a contained treasure. Several artifacts sacred in Christianity. This year is believed by Christians to be the crown of thorns. A braided circle of canes that according to scripture was placed on the head of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. And it's shown in a casing here. Now that fortunately was saved we are told.

Along with what is believed a piece of the cross that Jesus was purportedly crucified on and nails from that cross. Hopefully French authorities will detail everything that was lost in the cathedral versus what can be rebuilt. But I want to leave you with a couple of pictures to just show you how enmeshed Notre Dame is in the City of Paris. It is not one of the monuments that sits apart aside from the city, it is very much a part of the tapestry of Paris.

And one last thing and this is a childhood memory. When you stand in front of Notre Dame, if you look carefully, let me see, if you will see, look right about here, you will see a little bronze plaque embedded in the stone. It's kilometer zero. Meaning that all the distances in France are measured from this point at the foot of the cathedral. And I think that tells you everything you need to know about how our lady of Paris, how central it is to the city and to the country. Back to you.

FOSTER: Very delicate artifacts, fire damage, smoke damage, not the only threats here as the roof burned, all sorts of masonry was falling down on these artifacts too. So a huge amount of damage done here. We'll bring you any updates as we get them.

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[02:41:03] CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. We'll look at some other news now. And Sudan's ousted president tops the list of leaders who now face corruption charges there. Two sources tell CNN Omar al- Bashir along with the head of the ruling party and the former interior minister will formally face prosecution in the coming days. The three are also expected to be charged in the deaths of protesters.

This as passion of protest against the transitional military leaderships continue despite efforts to disperse them, protesters vowed to stay in front of the army headquarters until the government hands over power to a civilian government.

Ivanka Trump is in Ethiopia promoting her women's global economic program. President Donald Trump's daughter and senior adviser is focusing on ways to help women achieve success in business. As Robyn Kriel, some see her visit as a hopeful sign of closer relations with the President.

ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A summer beginning to the first daughter's second day here in Ethiopia. Ivanka Trump visited Ethiopia's Holy Trinity Church, paying her respect to the 157 victims of the Ethiopian airlines crash flight 302 which crashed back in March. Eight Americans were killed along with people from 34 other nationalities. Then, Miss Trump met with a group of dynamic female African leaders as part of her WGDP or Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative.

And the dialog to promote women in the workplace. She sat alongside Ethiopia's first female president and the head of the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation. While Miss Trump's visit seemed on the surface quite staged, managed and a softer approach to diplomacy to say her father we're told by Ethiopian businessmen and women that for them it struck a far more strategic tone.

Ivanka Trump is a direct link to the U.S. President deployed to a country in the midst of Democratic reforms, anxious according to their prime minister to balance and expand its international relationship. Nowhere is the Chinese economic influence in Africa more visible than right here in Addis Ababa. And Ivanka Trump has now seen that firsthand. Sending his daughter, a top adviser here, some Ethiopians was a powerful positive message from President Trump.

Who well-maintaining an America First approach is keen at least in his Africa policy to counter the threats posed by great power competitors, Russia and China. Ivanka Trump's next stop is Ivory Coast. Robyn Kriel, CNN, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

CHURCH: Actress Laurie Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli have pleaded not guilty to two conspiracy charges in the U.S. college admissions scandal. They also waived their right to appear in court for an arraignment on a money laundering charge. Prosecutors say the couple paid $500,000 to a fake charity to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California.

Dozens of wealthy parents, college coaches and test administrators have been accused in the massive scandal. And we will return to Paris with the latest on Notre Dame fire in just a moment. Do stay with us.

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FOSTER: Well, the sun is up and the traffic getting flowing around. Notre Dame Cathedral, it was all close off whilst firefighters did their work. They say they do have it now in control. Some burning embers inside -- we understand. It's now raining, which might help a bit. But too high up there in the bell towers, we can see the firefighters moving around assessing the damage.

But also, looking for the evidence about how this started. The Paris prosecutor's office telling us they're actually speaking to constructive -- construction workers as part of their investigation.

Obviously, a shock not just here in France, but around the world. This is how the newspapers have been looking at all of this. The French Liberation has, of course, an image on its front page. The -- it adds a letter to Notre Dame, so, it reads, Notre Drame, translation, our tragedy.

Across the Atlantic, the New York Daily News has this it reads Hellfire. As France grapples with the fire religious leaders are sending their support as well from the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury tweeted, "Tonight we pray for the firefighters tackling the tragic Notre Dame fire, and for everyone in France and beyond who watches and weeps for this beautiful sacred place where millions of met with Jesus Christ." He finished in French, "Nous sommes avec vous." "We are with you."

The Catholic Archbishop of New York also addressed the tragedy. He is Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[02:50:47] CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN, ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK: The people of New York unite with you and the citizens of Paris in sorrow over today's devastating fire. We here love St. Patrick's, and it is our spiritual home for people of all faiths. Thus, can we but imagine the sadness of your people as they watch their family home of the soul reduced to ashes.

This Holy Week teaches us that like Jesus, death brings life. Today's dying we trust will bring rising.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Loss not huge amounts of people flooded down here. Tourists, also Christians. But people just interested in what was going on. Images spreading on social media, and mainstream media as well. Robert Hardman from The Daily Mail was here. And you have a quite extraordinary story.

ROBERT HARDMAN, FORMER ROYAL CORRESPONDENT, DAILY MAIL: What makes it about 1:00 this morning, I have managed to get on the side of the island sight through the crowds. There was a small press position outside the cathedral.

And by 1:00 a.m., a paucity of officials in suits, I notice were coming from a different direction going towards the west door. I joined them, and no one stopped me and --

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: This was the government delegation.

HARDMAN: The government delegation, going inside to have the first look at what was inside. Then, we went through the west door over there underneath the towers. We weren't wearing hard hats, we were letting decide accompanied by fire crews just to see for ourselves.

I think really that it was still standing. There was a sort of sense earlier on in the evening of utter catastrophe that the whole thing was going to come down, and 5:00 midnight, it was clear that the Twin Towers does everybody here calls, the famous 850-year-old towers, they were still standing. So, we went inside. It was (INAUDIBLE)

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: You and the prime minister, and the handful of --

HARDMAN: Yes, and a handful of fireman and (INAUDIBLE).

FOSTER: No one asking who you are?

HARDMAN: No one asks who I was, luckily. And I think they recognize the French prime minister, I have to say, by the way. If there he wasn't President Macron, but he is a very important man.

FOSTER: Yes. HARDMAN: And they was like (INAUDIBLE). But, you know, we frankly know and everyone was staring up at the ceiling. There was little sparks coming down, there were embers, bits of woodwork still falling down. The floor was about an inch deep of water. Still, water pouring through.

But then, suddenly, we picked out -- I picked out certainly my iPhone. There's a sort of thing at the end. What is that? I walked through the gloom, and then, suddenly, every now and then, in front torchwood light on it. That was a crucifix still standing on the altar. And I think, for -- particularly, for those of a religious disposition, who were down here, I think they will -- they will terrible --

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: They would've been poignant.

HARDMAN: You know, and really, really significant -- you know, importance is about.

FOSTER: Is it completely destroyed inside?

HARDMAN: It's not totally destroyed. The tiles, you can still see the black and white tiles that are still (INAUDIBLE), chairs laid out, let us say everything is soaking wet, break holes in the roof. (INAUDIBLE) to see you some of the -- some of the windows are still intact.

FOSTER: Yes.

HARDMAN: I mean, it's a -- it's a bad scene, but it's not the complete -- right off.

FOSTER: Presumably, if you're in there now, you'd be able to see straight through to the sky.

HARDMAN: We'll be up to look up straight out what is going to see rain coming through. Probably, a lot of fire hoses both are still coming in true. But I think there is a sense last night at about chemical last night, standing as some of the bridges right and here as viewer with some of the Parisian public.

There was a sense of, we are about to lose a crucial part of our national identity.

FOSTER: Yes.

HARDMAN: This is a national disaster. This morning, the mood is, is bad, but we've had a lucky escape. This is -- this is salvageable. You know, one day, this will be a re-entrance, will be reborn.

FOSTER: We've heard a lot about the yellow vest demonstrations and the divisiveness in Paris. It's interesting to see how this building seems to be unifying people today.

HARDMAN: Yes, I mean, last night, there was absolutely -- everyone was as one. I think was a sense of global shock.

FOSTER: Yes.

HARDMAN: But the people here would genuinely touch that all over the world, these effectively, messages of condolence were coming. And I think, people really to fear the worst. But there is a huge sense of solidarity, and it was a great French home set.

FOSTER: Yes.

HARDMAN: I think there was for certainly, for the president, if the worst had happened, this would be domestically -- thus, and appalling, career-ending moment. Now, the fact that it's still here, I think that's why the government is so keen to show -- you know, we're going to get on with this. I don't have even any problem raising the funds here.

[02:55:06] FOSTER: Yes.

HARDMAN: It's going to happen, is going to happen.

FOSTER: Paris prosecutor's office speaking to construction workers that was a suspicion last night as well, something happened with the construction effort. Do you think the French will be quite forgiving of that? I mean, what's the -- what's the mood would you say?

HARDMAN: At the moment, you don't get the sense of they're looking for some other sort of take out and shoot. I don't know, that may change where the circumstance --

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: It's not a sense of anger is there at the moment?

HARDMAN: Not at the moment. I think once they find out what happened. I mean, it was fairly odd that it was minutes after the public had left yesterday evening. That it should start on a construction site. But this happens with famous old buildings. I am -- people forget, but I mean, Windsor Castle, the terrible fire at 1992.

FOSTER: Yes.

HARDMAN: That started with a -- with the constructor's lunch (INAUDIBLE). Someone took their eye off, and over a few minutes, (INAUDIBLE)

FOSTER: And they're off, and there's lots of water in the construction.

HARDMAN: A lot of wood and a lot of electricity.

FOSTER: Yes.

HARDMAN: And you know, people can be careless at the end of working day. Maybe someone left something on they should have turned it off. We don't know.

FOSTER: An extraordinary night. The year of particularly for people that came down here yesterday. Thank you very much for joining us.

HARDMAN: Thanks, Max.

FOSTER: We continue to follow the investigation, and hear what the prime minister has to say, what the president has to say, and what firefighters have to say. We'll bring you all the updates as they come through.

From outside this iconic building, at least the facade, the famous, iconic facade is still standing today.

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