A 1000-year-old cathedral in the French city of Rouen has caught fire in what authorities say could be a religiously motivated attack.
While details about the blaze are currently scarce, firefighters are currently working to extinguish the fire and reduce the level of damage.
Local television footage initially showed a dark plume of smoke rising from the spire, with onlookers in the streets below watching in horror.
Other images revealed smoke seeping through a gap in the white cover surrounding the scaffolding.
A masterpiece of French medieval Gothic architecture, the cathedral dates back to the 12th century and gained international fame after being repeatedly painted by the Impressionist artist Claude Monet in the 19th century. Between the years of 1876 and 1880 it was the tallest building in the world.
Hellbound and Down 