WATCH: The moment the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral collapses

A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday evening, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky.

The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year.

A short while ago, the cathedral’s spire collapsed, sending a sea of sparks flying high.

Notre Dame cathedral spire collapses in devastating video pic.twitter.com/AQLcKL4zWR

— The Independent (@Independent) April 15, 2019

A spokesperson for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze.

The fire service said the blaze could be “potentially linked” to ongoing renovations.

Witnesses are now saying the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral has completely collapsed, as the result of a massive fire.

Here is the moment the spire of the historic cathedral collapsed: pic.twitter.com/oWuEpb8d7X

— Rachel Blevins (@RachBlevins) April 15, 2019

President Emmanuel Macron cancelled a major televised policy speech he was due to give on Monday evening over the “terrible fire ravaging Notre Dame.”

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo in a tweet described it as a “terrible fire”.

“The Paris fire service is trying to control the flames,” she wrote on Twitter, asking residents to respect the security cordon thrown up around the site.

A spokesperson for the cathedral said the fire, which comes as French Catholics prepare to celebrate Easter, broke out at about 4.30 GMT.

Fire trucks could be seen speeding through Paris towards the scene on the Ile de la Cite — an island in the Seine at the heart of Paris.

https://twitter.com/QualityLtg/status/1117856744913473536

The Paris police department in a tweet called on residents to avoid the area and to “make way for rescue vehicles”.

US President Donald Trump in a tweet said: “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!”

Hundreds of people gathered on the bridges of Paris downriver to witness the scene, some filming the images with their smartphones, an AFP reporter said.

A burning smell filled the air.

(Compiled by Carina Koen)

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