Inferno rages at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

Disturbing footage of the fire was posted to Twitter. As sirens approached the building, many panicked, hoping that the damage could be minimized.

Though the cause of the fire is still not immediately clear, officials are saying that it could be related to renovation work that the cathedral has been undergoing.

The medieval Catholic cathedral, which was completed in 1345, launched an urgent appeal for funds for maintenance prior to the fire, as the building itself was starting to crumble.

According to multiple sources, religious artifacts and historic artworks were for the most part saved and preserved. The building itself was saved fromentirely collapsing in on itself, though its iconic spire collapsed during the inferno.

In a tweet, Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, described the fire as “terrible.”

The full extent of the damages is still unknown, though many statues appear to remain in tact.

President of France Emmanuel Macron also expressed sorrow.

According to sources, there are reportedly no deaths in the fire, as the building was empty. One firefighter sustained serious burns.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.