Written by Leila Scott, Photos courtesy of Cassie Suppes
While undergoing renovations, the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, France, caught on fire late Monday. Just hours before the accidental fire started, SCAD Lacoste students were admiring the church during their visit to Paris.
This morning a SCAD Lacoste group was able to go to the Notre-Dame and spend some time in the building before going to a separate museum. “After that museum time, my two friends and I went back to the Notre-Dame area. We were standing in the courtyard when suddenly people started yelling and a cop started pushing everyone back in moving everyone forcefully but urgently,” said
“We looked up and realized that there was smoke coming out of Notre-Dame. At first we were kind of joking like oh small fire but then things are getting more more serious and there was a lot more smoke coming out of the building itself we were then moved to an area across the street. And that’s where we started to see the flames. It was an intense moment of interest and fear,” Suppes said.
“The fire kept growing as we were getting moved further away. It was about an hour or so after it started that the tower fell. We were all crying. It was quite after that but you could still hear people crying. It was a lot. All is ok though, no one was hurt and they got everyone out safely,” Suppes said. “It just hurts to see history burn. It was an amazing building. I was moved to tears this morning walking inside of it because of how powerful it was and tonight I was also moved to tears when it fell.”
Shortly after the fire began, the roof and main spire collapsed. Second year student Madison Koester was on the Paris
Due to its artistic ties, experiencing the fire first hand sparked emotions for SCAD students. “I just kind of stumbled upon the fire. I was by myself in the Pompidou Center, and I had to sneak to the front of a crowd to see what was burning. I genuinely doubted my own eyes. I recognized it as Notre Dame, of course, but at the same time, I thought it absolutely could not be the Notre Dame,” Campbell said.
“It was horrible because all we could do was watch the flames grow higher and higher inside the bell tower. To think we were standing in that building four or five hours before, making plans to come back the next day, is one of the wildest parts. We were so lucky to have seen it before it burned, even though that feels like the wrong word,” Campbell said.
Students who have previously visited and studied in France reflected on the fire. “It’s devastating to see what the French are going through. It’s insane that I was there only a year ago on my Lacoste trip. It’s an iconic part of France and it’s sad that it’s just gone in a second,” said fourth year student Daniela Aguirre.
“It seems like a bad dream. I was just in Paris over break; my friend and I sat in a bookstore across the street from Notre-Dame, and admired it for hours. It’s heartbreaking to imagine Paris without it,” said second year student Gracie Williams.
In a statement outside of the Cathedral, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to the crowd. “The worst has been avoided, but the battle isn’t fully won yet,” said Macron. It took seven hours for the fire to be contained, but fortunately, firefighters saved the two towers.
“All SCAD students who traveled to Paris are safe and accounted for,” according to Michelle Gavin, SCAD executive director of communications.
