Nôtre Dame burns

[Capetonian]

Very sad.

One of the frog workers must have been a bright spark.

[probes]

Vid from and by the ministére:


no-one seems to be in a particular hurry, though? Maybe it won't work in such cases, dunno.

[izod tester]

Last night, about 21:00 I googled Notre Dame Art to see what treasures had probably been lost. One of the results was Wikipedia which turned out to already have 2 extensive paragraphs describing the extensive damage caused by a fire on 15 Apr 2019 - whilst the fir was still burning and only 2 or 3 hours since it started.

[ricardian]

That gorgeous 1864 Cavaille-Coll organ underwent a multi-million pound restoration in the 1990s and received a brand-new console only a few years ago. Tragic loss

Good news! Facebook translation of a message from an authoritative source:

Good morning to all
I am here the voice-Holder of Eric Brottier, organ technician for the organ, with whom I have the pleasure of working.
The first observations on the instrument of Notre-Dame, including inside, show that the organ has obviously (I insist on the term) not really suffered from the fire. It has been preserved water flows thanks to the cover slab between the towers and did not suffer from the heat (the pipes are structurally preserved).
This reassuring information will have to be supported by a thorough observation that has not yet been able to be realized.

[ribrash]

The Queen sends her thoughts and prayers.Well that's alright then,everything sorted.

[llondel]

The Queen sends her thoughts and prayers.Well that's alright then,everything sorted.

In this instance probably less damaging than an airdrop of water from a flying tanker.

[ricardian]

The Queen sends her thoughts and prayers.Well that's alright then,everything sorted.

In this instance probably less damaging than an airdrop of water from a flying tanker.

Yes, several tons of water arriving at 120 kts or more is likely to cause damage!

[G-CPTN]

I am relieved to read that the rose windows may have survived.

The question is - was the fire accidental or malicious?

Although restoration works were 'under way', it seems that no active work was in progress at the time of the fire.

Access to the roof (where the fire started) was possible due to the scaffolding.

Just saying . . .

the famous saint sulpice church in paris was lit on fire just last month. the month before that an attack on st. nicholas in northern france, and another fire lit in saint alain cathedral in south-central france.

[Capetonian]

[G-CPTN]

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild it within five years.
Eric Fischer, head of the foundation in charge of restoring the 1,000-year-old Strasbourg cathedral, told AFP the Notre-Dame may take "decades" to rebuild.

[Pontius Navigator]

French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild it within five years.
Eric Fischer, head of the foundation in charge of restoring the 1,000-year-old Strasbourg cathedral, told AFP the Notre-Dame may take "decades" to rebuild.

I think I know who I would back. How long does green oak take to season?

May be it will distract the President from Brexit.

[ian16th]

I think I know who I would back. How long does green oak take to season?

Before seasoning becomes a concern, finding such a quantity of oak in the 21st century is a problem

When York Minster suffered a much smaller fire, didn't HMQ donate an oak tree from one of her estates?

[G-CPTN]

Janet Street Porter doesn't want Notre Dame to be rebuilt.

[Capetonian]

I can see the remedial work heading the way any French run project goes. There will be committees and sub-committees and enough hot air talked to start another fire, then there will be disputes and back-stabbing, contracts awarded to friends and families of the 'Enarques/Grandes Ecoles', money disappearing, resignations and sackings, meanwhile the work will progress at the pace of a sclerotic escargot.

The frogs couldn't organise a pissup in a winery.

[probes]

Isn't it interesting, G-Cptn, how there is certain to be someone who thinks their 15 sec of fame will be delivered when they say something 'original'.

P.S. my humblest apologies to Cape and Ex-Ascot for misreading the 'sclerotic escargot' (do I need to specify? )

P.P.S.
a church in Tallinn that caught fire while being reconstructed

[4mastacker]

I think the Fffrogs have played a blinder. An old cathedral needs megabucks spending on it to repair/restore but the piggy bank is a bit skint. Stage an event, ride on the wave of public emotion, et voila, the cash comes rolling in. Job done.

"Zero zero sept...make it look like an accident" "Oui monsieur"

[Pontius Navigator]

Before seasoning becomes a concern, finding such a quantity of oak in the 21st century is a problem

When York Minster suffered a much smaller fire, didn't HMQ donate an oak tree from one of her estates?

One will go a long way. Sure she can send one, unless Phil used them all.

[OFSO]

That airhead cretin Janet Street-Porter has said ND should not be rebuilt but the donated funds be spent in improving the poor areas of Paris where immigrants live and helping residents of the Calais Jungle.

[OFSO]

I see there's a call out to design a new spire for the Cathedral. Perhaps the shape could reflect the general opinion of M. Macron.....

[llondel]

Interesting how many billionaires were quick to donate to rebuild the place compared to rebuilding other burnt-out churches. If they'd pledged the same amount to fighting poverty and other such stuff then it would do way more good, although I admit that much of it would be lost to corruption (which is why some of these places are in such dire straits in the first place).