Notre Dame blaze collapses cathedral's spire

Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow brown smoke is filling the air above Notre Dame Cathedral and ash is falling on tourists and others around the island that marks the center of Paris. [Photo:AP]

Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris is on fire. The Church's famous spire has collapsed.

The fire may be linked to renovations being carried out at the medieval cathedral, one of the capital's tourist magnets.

Online footage show thick smoke billowing from the top of the cathedral and huge flames between its two bell towers engulfing the spire and the entire roof, both of which collapsed.

Accompanied with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, French president Emmanuel Macron rushed to the centuries-old cathedral which attracts millions of foreign visitors every year.

Paris prosecutors have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the blaze.

For more on this, CRI’s Shane Bigham has spoken with our reporter Ollie Miocic in Paris