Spire of famous French Rouen Cathedral on fire VIDEO

A fire broke out on July 11 at the cathedral in the northern French city of Rouen, according to the mayor, who shared a photo showing a column of smoke rising from the Gothic landmark.

Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol posted on X that the "origin of the fire is unknown at this point," and confirmed that "all public resources are mobilised" to combat the blaze, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The local fire service SDIS76 reported that the alarm was raised around midday (1000 GMT), with 33 vehicles and 63 firefighters responding to the scene.

"The fire started at the top of the spire, which is made of metal, not wood," said the prefecture of the Seine-Maritime department, noting that the monument is currently undergoing restoration.

It was not immediately clear if the wooden frame of the spire was affected.

The fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris in 2019, caused by flames in the wooden roof frame, led to extensive damage, with repairs nearing completion only now.

Our Lady of the Assumption cathedral has been evacuated and a security perimeter established, the prefecture stated, urging people to "keep away to allow emergency responders to work."

According to its website, construction on Rouen's cathedral began in the 12th Century and continued over several centuries until it reached its current form.