Yikes

As Notre Dame burns--losing at least its roof, time will tell on the vaulting--one thing that strikes me is that either they didn't dare put much water on the fire because one could end up destroying the whole structure, or the city of Paris needs to invest in some fire trucks with some serious water cannons.  The pictures I saw indicated only a few hoses getting water to the area which was burning. 


Put gently, as tragic as it is to see this damage to a priceless historic edifice, getting out of that fire was likely simply an orderly retreat from the stairs up to the towers and out of the sanctuary. Lots of physical damage, but hopefully there won't be too many injuries or deaths.


Now look at those pictures, and notice how many buildings of similar height (apart from the towers and roof) surround Notre Dame.  Imagine trying to get out of one of those in a narrow staircase at night while the Paris Fire Department has trouble putting water on those flames. 


Again, either the structure wouldn't do well with that volume of water, or somebody needs to invest in equipment that will put water and fire retardant a couple hundred feet above the ground.  It wouldn't hurt, either, if the rebuilding of Notre Dame added some "sprinklers" and used non-flammable materials like steel.


And rebuild they will; remember that after the USAAF performed their "mass urban renewal program" in 1944 and 1945 in Germany, almost all of the great churches of that were destroyed (usually the roofs caved in, including vaulting) were rebuilt.  As a rule, you can hardly tell--which should be some consolation to those who, like me, are saddened by this damage to a cultural icon.