On Monday evening, flames were spotted shooting from the historic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
The smoke was billowing from the structure and could be seen from miles away in the French capital.
The city's fire department has said that a major operation is underway and a city hall spokesman has said on Twitter that the area was being cleared.
The house of worship, with roots dating back to 1160, is considered one of the world's greatest examples of French Gothic architecture. Update The spire of the iconic Paris Notre Dame Cathedral has collapsed as a result of the major fire that engulfed the roof of the landmark tourist attraction an hour earlier. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The top of the Gothic architecture jewel was under renovation with scaffolding covering some parts of the spire. The spire itself, made of wood and covered with lead, has long been in a bad shape as the elements of the construction dating back to the mid-nineteenth century have been damaged by weather, pollution and time. Check back later for more updates on this developing story.