Minute by minute: How Notre-Dame inferno took hold

It was the story that shocked the world. Here’s how Notre Dame went from a fire to an inferno, as witnessed by shocked Australian tourists on the scene.

The world is reeling after Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral was ravaged by fire.

While a stunning rescue efforts saw many precious relics saved, the inferno destroyed the historic building - completed in 1260 - which attracted millions of visitors each years.

The French government has announced the once stunning structure will be rebuilt, with donations pouring in.

But just how long it will take, and whether it will bear resemblance to its previous form is still unknown.

Here’s how hundreds of years of history was gutted in just hours:

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The Notre-Dame cathedral before the blaze. Picture: AFP

6.45pm: No signs of smoke. Tourists mill about the Notre-Dame.

6.50pm: No signs of smoke, but Australian tourist Lee Holmes smells fire - although she says she was “totally unaware at this point that anything was going on with the cathedral”.

As tourists milled about the Notre-Dame, no one suspected it would soon be engulfed in flames. Picture: Supplied

Australian tourist Lee Holmes said she smelt fire at about 6.50pm local time. Picture: Supplied

6.54pm: Holmes sees smoke coming from Notre-Dame and realises it is from a fire.

6.56pm: Smoke gathering in volume.

6.59pm: Holmes reports that people now stopping and staring in horror. Shocked and in disbelief.

At about 7pm it was apparent there was a full scale inferno. Picture: AFP

The blaze ravaged Notre-Dame, which was complete in 1260. Picture: AFP

7.00pm: Full scale inferno.

7.02pm: Smoke widely visible around Paris.

7.04pm: Holmes reports seeing first flames.

7.30pm: Fears the cathedral’s interior will be destroyed. Emergency services rush to save precious artworks and objects inside. Paris’ mayor confirms famed Crown of Thorns is saved.

People watched in horror as firefighters tackled the blaze, with smoke seen across Paris. Picture: AFP

A stunning rescue effort saw precious relics saved, including Jesus’ Crown of Thorns. Picture: AFP

7.30pm: France’s fire brigade is quoted by French media as saying the fire is “potentially linked” to the multimillion-dollar renovation project of the church’s peak.

7.39pm: US President Donald Trump tweets “perhaps flying water tankers” could be used to put out the fire.

So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019

7.40pm: Fire spreads to the giant spire, as French President Macron cancels planned TV address to the nation because of the blaze.

7.53pm: Cathedral’s spire collapses.

France’s fire brigade allegedly say the inferno is “potentially linked” to a multimillion-dollar renovation project of the church’s peak. Picture: AFP

7:59pm: French president’s office says Macron is rushing to the scene.

8.07pm: Entire roof of Notre-Dame collapses, according to a Reuters correspondent at the scene. Spokesman Andre Finot says: “Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame”.

People gathered by the banks of the Seine river. Picture: AFP

The entire roof of the cathedral collapsed at about 8pm. Picture AFP:

8.20pm: Paris’ deputy mayor delivers alarming news that the cathedral has suffered “colossal damages”.

8.25pm: Paris’ Ile de la Cité, the island on which Notre-Dame sits, is evacuated by police.

Paris’ fire brigade hit out US President Donald Trump’s suggestion “flying water tankers” could have been used to fight the blaze, saying it would cause more damage. Picture: AFP

8.50pm: A French interior ministry official warns Notre-Dame might not be saved.

9.00pm: Fire begins to ravage one of the church's rectangular towers. Red smoke is seen billowing from the cathedral.

There were concerns Notre-Dame might not be saved.. Picture: AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron declared a national emergency. Picture: AP

9.05pm: French President Emmanuel Macron declares the disaster a national emergency.

9.30pm: 400 firefighters tackle the inferno, with the cause yet to be established.

9.40pm: Parisians flock near the cathedral to pray, as the Vatican says it is “devastated” by the “terrible fire” that “has devastated... (a) symbol of Christianity in France and in the world.”

Parisians gathered in prayer as they watched flames engulf the cathedral. Picture: Picture: AFP

10.00pm: Firefighters prevent the flames from engulfing the cathedral’s northern belfy, and Notre-Dame is deemed to have been saved.

10.20pm: It’s revealed a firefighter is seriously injured

10.36pm: President Macron tweets: “Our thoughts go out to all Catholics and to the French people. Like all of my fellow citizens, I am sad to see this part of us burn tonight.”

Notre-Dame is aflame. Great emotion for the whole nation. Our thoughts go out to all Catholics and to the French people. Like all of my fellow citizens, I am sad to see this part of us burn tonight. https://t.co/27CrJgJkJb

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 15, 2019

12.00am: French officials slam Donald Trump’s suggestion that “flying water tankers” could have be used to put out the fire. They say: “All means are being used, except for waterbombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.”

At 10pm it was announced that Notre-Dame’s structure had been saved. Picture: AFP

11.07pm: Labor leader Bill Shorten tweets: “Notre Dame brought so much joy to so many souls. A sad day for Paris, for France and for people all around the world.”

12.00am: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweets: “So sad to see this beautiful cathedral in flames this morning. Our thoughts are with the people of France and emergency services who are fighting this fire.”

Firefighters continue to secure Notre-Dame Cathedral in the aftermath of the fire that caused its spire to crash to the ground. Picture: AFP

French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault announces a huge donation to help rebuild the iconic cathedral. Picture: AFP

12.15am: President Macron commits via Twitter to rebuilding the Notre-Dame cathedral.

1.09am: Francois-Henri Pinault pledges 100 million euros ($A158 million) to rebuilding the cathedral. The billionaire said the money would go towards “the effort necessary to completely rebuild Notre-Dame”.

Originally published as Minute by minute: How Notre-Dame inferno took hold