A short circuit would have been the cause of the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral

President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the firefighters who fought the flames and prevented a major collapse.

Police investigators in Paris believe that a short circuit would have been the most likely cause of the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, said a French police officer on Thursday as the country celebrated a day of action. Tribute to the firefighters who saved the property recognized around the world.

A French judicial police officer told the Associated Press that the investigators had made a first badessment of the cathedral on Wednesday, but that they had not been given the green light to search the cathedral. burned interior of Notre Dame because of the current risks for safety.

The manager, who requested anonymity because he was not allowed to discuss the investigation, also said that the fragile walls of the cathedral were reinforced with wooden planks .

A few hours ago, France's President, Emmanuel Macron, had presided over a ceremony at the Elysée to thank the hundreds of firefighters who fought for nine hours against the fire that began Monday afternoon. Authorities have stated that Our Lady, which dates back to the 12th century, was in danger of burning completely before the emergency teams prevented the fire from spreading to the spiers.

Firefighters have also saved many relics and important works of art inside the cathedral.

"We saw before our eyes the good things perfectly organized in a few moments, with responsibility, courage, solidarity and a meticulous organization," said Macron. "The worst has been avoided," he added.

Macron said firefighters will receive an honorary medal for their courage and dedication.

During the ceremony, investigators were still investigating the causes of the fire. The huge cathedral, including the needle consumed by the flames and collapsed, was at the beginning of a long restoration.

Until now, investigators believe that the fire was accidental and questioned the employees and workers of the cathedral about the renovations. Thursday, about forty people had been questioned, according to the parquet of Paris.

The building reportedly burned to the ground in a "chain collapse" if firefighters had not acted as quickly as they had acted to fight the flames throughout the building, said José Vaz de Matos, expert in fire on the site. French Ministry of Culture.

The first fire alarm sounded at 6:20 pm, while a mbad was celebrated in the cathedral, without indicating the origin of the fire. A second alarm sounds at 6:43 pm, and then the fire is on the roof.

Macron wants to rebuild the cathedral in five years, in time for the summer Olympics that will host Paris in 2024, but experts wondered if the deadline was realistic, given the enormity of the work to be done . One of them said that the reconstruction could easily take around 15 years. Nearly one billion dollars were offered for the restoration of the temple.

The bells of cathedrals from all over France were sounded on Wednesday to pay tribute to Notre Dame and the firefighters.

(Source: Infobae)