Only hours after the first flames that eventually would consume Notre Dame’s roof and spire flickered, the questions about the cause began.

"Detectives investigating the catastrophic blaze are today interviewing specialist restorers who were carrying out works on the cathedral spire when the inferno broke out,” reported DailyMail.com.

"French police are understood to have launched a criminal inquiry after a ‘stray flame’ cause fire to engulf the landmark last night, with heroic firefighters battling for eight hours to bring the blaze under control.”

With the recent desecration of a dozen Catholic churches in France in just one week,investigators will not rule out the possibility of arson.

[...]

Islam critic Pamela Geller posted a report under the headline: "Notre Dame Cathedral inferno ‘intentionally set.'”

She cited Time columnist Christopher J. Halewriting: "A Jesuit friend in Paris who works in #NotreDame told me cathedral staff said the fire was intentionally set.”

TIME columnist Christopher J. Hale @chrisjollyhale tweeted, "A Jesuit friend in Paris who works in #NotreDame told me cathedral staff said the fire was intentionally set.” and then he deleted the tweet after a few minutes. || #NotreDameFire #mepolitics pic.twitter.com/gPH04JCzSk

— Matthew Thomas McDonald (@Real_Matty_Mac) April 15, 2019

Geller noted France has been hit with a string of fires at Catholic churches, some of which occurred alongside desecration of sacred objects and acts of vandalism.

"While the fire at Notre Dame appears to be an accident connected to renovations of the church,” she wrote, "the image of the famous spire engulfed in flames is a hard hit on the historically deeply Catholic France, as well as Catholics all over who have seen their religion reeling from devastating scandals, cover-ups and attacks.”

She said that while Notre Dame is "undoubtedly the most well-known landmark to be affected, Paris’ second largest church, Saint-Sulpice, briefly burst into flames on March 17, the fire damage doors and stained glass windows on the building’s exterior.”

Police later said the incident was not an accident.

Twitter users commenting on Hale’s tweet pointed out a deliberate attack was possible.

Hugh Easton wrote: "The area of roof where the fire appears to have taken hold was covered with scaffolding. That would have allowed an arsonist to climb up there and set the fire. Normally the roof would be completely inaccessible.”

And Mirjam152 added, "Just dress up as a construction worker.”

Breitbart reported the attacks on a dozen Catholic churches in France over the period of one week in March.

The attacks culminated with a fire set at Saint-Sulpice shortly after Mass.Other vandalism occurred at the church of Notre-Dame des Enfants in Nimes, the church of Notre-Dame in Dijon, and in Lavaur.

 

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