In Nantes, the great organ of the ravaged cathedral, an open investigation for "arson"

The Gothic cathedral Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Nantes was victim Saturday, July 18 of a fire, quickly circumscribed, but which however destroyed the great organ, an event which led to the opening of an investigation for "arson" while Prime Minister Jean Castex went on the spot.

After visiting the cathedral and meeting the firefighters, the head of government made a short statement, first paying tribute "to the dedication and the very great professionalism of the hundreds of firefighters who were mobilized from the start of the disaster. and who managed it with remarkable efficiency. "

Without the professionalism, courage and self-control of our security and rescue forces, the disaster could have been even greater.
The State will play its full part in the work to secure and restore the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral. pic.twitter.com/YWXON6y2QM

"Place, now, on the one hand to the investigation, placed under the authority as it should be, of the public prosecutor and on which, at this stage, I have no precise information. then reconstruction, which I wish as quickly as possible and in which the state will play its full part, "he said.

The Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot, who also visited the place, indicated that "the quality of French heritage implies quite considerable financial efforts and the State will of course be there for an operation which will necessarily be long ".

Great emotion: fire at Nantes cathedral! This gem of our heritage is once again threatened. I will be in Nantes this afternoon. The Ministry of Culture @MinistereCC and its services are already fully mobilized. #Cathedrale #Nantes

Investigation for "arson"

Earlier, the Nantes public prosecutor Pierre Sennès had announced to AFP the opening of an investigation for "arson". He said there were "three separate fire points" but "there is no conclusion to draw now".

"Between the large organ, which is on the facade on the first floor and the other lights, you have almost the entire distance from the cathedral, they are still at a substantial distance from each other," he noted.

However, there are no signs of break-in at the exterior accesses, he said, while everyone is wondering about the origin of the disaster.

According to Father Hubert Champenois, rector of the cathedral, "everything was in order last night". The cathedral is usually open to the public from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. "Every night, before closing it, a very precise inspection" is carried out, he said.

The judicial police were seized and a fire expert from the technical and scientific police laboratory in Paris was to go to Nantes to examine the fire's start and the electrical installation of the cathedral.

Passers-by saw flames of flames behind the rose window around 7:05 am and called for help.

"There are irrecoverable things"

Thanks to a hundred firefighters and around forty vehicles, the fire was brought under control in about two hours and "circumscribed" around 10 am, explained Laurent Ferlay, departmental director of firefighters.

Laurent Delpire, curator of Antiquities and works of art from Loire-Atlantique, was able to list the elements affected: the organ and the organ case from the 17th century, a painting by Hippolyte Flandrin from the 19th century, part of the stalls of the choirs which were recent and the stained glass windows of the facade, part of which were vestiges of 16th century stained glass, the rest being modern.

"There are irrecoverable things, like the painting of Hippolyte Flandrin, Saint Clair healing the blind, it is lost forever. It is a great sorrow," said Roselyne Bachelot.

Nantes mayor Johanna Rolland (PS), who was able to enter the cathedral, told AFP of her agitation when she discovered the damage. "What dominates is the emotion and sadness for Nantes Catholics, because it is an emblematic place, but beyond for all Nantes residents and Nantes residents".

AFP journalists who were able to enter the building discovered the remains of the blackened wooden organ, littering the ground, behind ribbons delimiting the perimeter.

The construction of the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, in flamboyant Gothic style, lasted several centuries (from 1434 to 1891). In 1972, the disaster was declared following work carried out by a roofer.

With AFP

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