11th-century cathedral in France's Rouen catches fire

Paris, July 11 (IANS) Fire engulfed the spire of France’s famous Rouen cathedral on Thursday, local officials said.

The cause of the fire in the gothic Notre-Dame de Rouen's 150-metre-high spire - the tallest church spire in France - was still unknown, Rouen Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol posted on X, adding firefighters are trying to extinguish the blaze.

The cathedral, built in the 11th century, has been evacuated and a security cordon placed around it, officials said.

Images on social media showed flames near the top of the cathedral, where restoration work had been going on since 2015, as per French media. The extent of damage to the structure is unclear for now.

The cathedral had been a favourite monument for renowned French impressionist artist Claude Monet, who painted it several times.