how did the notre dame fire start

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' } The spire engulfed in flames collapses as the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral burns. Smith immediately ended the phone call. Photo by Stephane Cardinale, courtesy of Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images. How did the Notre Dame fire start and what will happen now? Roof and spire. According to CNN, the Notre Dame Cathedral was being renovated at the time of the fire. Certain parts of the over 850-year-old church were being erected with wooden planks to provide support in the more damaged and delicate parts of the cathedral, according to the official. Removing the scaffolding is expected to take four months of painstaking work, ensuring that falling pieces won’t further damage the building or injure workers. “And to just leave it there seems like it’s just asking for trouble over time.”. + '