The cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, where a fire occurred in April 2019, continues to collapse. According to Le Figaro, a masonry fall was again recorded in the building, and it is with this fact that the Ministry of Culture confirms the need to resume restoration work.

The department notes that the vaults and arcbutans of the cathedral are at risk of collapse. The scaffolding surrounding Notre Dame de Paris that survived the fire is also unstable.

According to architects, the collapse of vaulted ceilings can contribute to the abnormal heat that has been established in Paris since the end of June. The structures of Notre-Dame-de-Paris were saturated with water at the time of extinguishing the fire, but now due to the heat they have dried out and become fragile.

“Today, the building is still fenced and recognized as an emergency order by the prefect of the police of April 17, after the recent heat there were new stone collapses from the arches of the nave,” Le Figaro quotes an excerpt from the ministry’s statement.

Restoration work was discontinued on July 25 by order of the labor inspectorate - the inspectorate found that workers' health was threatened by an increase in the level of lead concentration near the cathedral. Nevertheless, soon the reconstruction should resume: the ministry notes that this could happen on August 19.

“The team leading the project took into account the instructions of the labor inspectorate and will continue to take them into account in the course of work on the preservation and restoration of the cathedral,” the minister assured.

Lead

In spring, it became known that due to a fire in the soil on the territory of the cathedral, the level of lead concentration increased significantly, as a result, according to experts, there was a threat to the health of builders and residents of the areas adjacent to the cathedral.

Concerns about the environmental situation were expressed by the staff of the trade unions of the General Confederation of Labor, as well as the independent French online publication Mediapart. It considered it fair to compare the consequences of the fire in the cathedral with "little Chernobyl."

  • Notre Dame de Paris
  • Reuters
  • © Stephane de Sakutin

The Association for the Protection of Man and the Environment Robin de Bois (“Robin Hood”) also demanded to postpone any actions to restore the cathedral and, in addition, to impose a ban on pedestrian traffic and any, including commercial, activity on the adjoining Clouatre Street Notre Dame. The organization does not exclude that a possible collapse of the arch will lead to the complete destruction of the building, as a result of which the surrounding area will be covered with a cloud of toxic dust, and panic will begin among tourists.

The authorities claimed that there was no risk of absorption of lead dust by inhalation of air, but the Paris Mayor's Office nevertheless decided to clean nearby schools, kindergartens and nursing homes. On August 6, it became known that a special absorbent gel will be used to clean the environment of lead. It allows you to remove lead particles from the walls, the streets are treated with water with the addition of surfactants.

A week later, the French media reported that in connection with the cleaning work, which will last until August 23, traffic in the vicinity of the cathedral was temporarily suspended.

Many French citizens criticize the actions of the authorities. In their view, measures taken to protect human health are belated.

“We did not waste time thinking about possible problems and measures to protect the population. The restoration work was started too prematurely, as it is known that an order was received: Notre Dame should be ready for the Olympic Games, which will be held in Paris in 2024. Therefore, I believe that priority was given to economic and political interests to the detriment of public health, ”said Frederik Guillot, Secretary General of the Prefectural Police Union of Paris, in an interview with RT France.

Restoration for € 1 million

The fire that arose on the evening of April 15 in Notre Dame de Paris left the cathedral without a spire, a roof, a part of the transverse nave and the famous clock. According to the preliminary version, it could be caused by an unquenched cigarette or a wiring failure. The prosecutor's office of Paris did not see the criminal component in the causes of the fire in the cathedral.

The discussion on the restoration of the architectural monument began the very next day, the approximate terms of work were outlined - five years. At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron noted that the cathedral must be rebuilt in accordance with the spirit of modernity.

The architects of the French bureau Vincent Callebaut Architectures, who proposed to build the roof of Notre Dame de Paris with a spire made of oak, glass and using carbon fiber, responded to his call.

Nevertheless, in early August it became known that the cathedral would be allowed to maintain its former appearance: the French parliament approved a law according to which Notre Dame was obliged to return the appearance that he had before the fire. Macron should personally supervise the work.

According to The Art Newspaper Russia, a total of about € 1 million was donated to restore the cathedral after the fire.