On April 15th a massive fire erupted in Paris’s prized Notre Dame Cathedral. The fire started shortly after 6 p.m that Monday evening. Footage of the fire shows it slowly making its way up the cathedrals beautiful main spire, and shortly after the massive spire collapsed.

    The extent of the fire damage went throughout three quarters of the 13th century structure. The fire burned over 80% of the original wood in the cathedral and destroyed one-third of the cathedral’s art and artifacts. Paris police investigators believe the cause may have been an electrical short-circuit in the elevator under the main spire. On the other hand cathedral rector Patrick Chauvet said the cause of the fire may have been a computer glitch that caused the fire to start under the elevator.

    The fire also burned the oak supports under the large vaulted ceilings which dangerously weakened the structure. “There is no more risk the edifice’s walls could fall down,” Lt. Col. Gabriel Plus told the press later that week. As for the religious relics none were damaged by the fire and all were saved.

    In the week after the fire broke out people have come together and donated almost a billion dollars to help finance the rebuilding of the Notre Dame Cathedral.

    The Notre Dame fire also fueled growing protests from the Yellow jacket party who are saying that funds for rebuilding that cathedral should be distributed to the poor and needy that cover the once beautiful Paris.