Cause of Notre Dame fire revealed

A French judicial police official said investigators think an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the Notre Dame Cathedral fire.

The Sun reports that the official, who spoke anonymously about the ongoing probe, said investigators still don’t have the green light to work in the cathedral and search in the rubble for safety reasons.
 

He told The Associated Press the monument is still being consolidated with wooden planks to support some fragile parts of the walls.

The horrific fire on Monday destroyed much of the inside of the famous landmark and caused the spire to crash down to the ground below.
 

It was originally thought the blaze began in connection with renovation work that was underway at the cathedral.

And firefighters said the inferno was so severe that the whole building was within minutes of total destruction.

Now billionaires have pledged a staggering £886 million ($A1.6 billion) to help rebuild one of Europe’s most spectacular buildings.
 

Earlier, the rector of Notre Dame proposed building a small, temporary church on the plaza outside the monument so that the faithful have a place of worship while the ravaged 12th-century structure is closed for restoration.

Bishop Patrick Chauvet offered the idea of creating an “ephemeral” cathedral so people can pray and life can return to normal in the neighbourhood.
 

The Paris City Hall gave its approval to the idea Thursday “subject to technical restraints.”

A crypt containing vestiges dating from antiquity is located under the vast esplanade.

There is also an underground car park.
 

President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants to see the cathedral fully restored in five years.

Chauvet told neighbourhood business owners on Wednesday he expected Notre Dame to remain closed “five to six years.”

This article originally appeared in The Sun and is republished here with permission