A large fire broke out at a historic church in northern France early on Monday, causing the bell tower to collapse, authorities said.
The fire broke out at the Immaculate Conception church in the northern town of Saint-Omer at around 4:30 a.m. (14:30 GMT).
Thanks to the efforts of 90 firefighters, the fire was under control by Monday morning, but the church tower collapsed, a prefectural official said.
No one was injured, but about 50 nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution, according to authorities.
"My thoughts are with the Catholics and the people of Saint-Omer," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on X (formerly Twitter).
"An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire," he added.
The church, with its neo-Gothic furnishings, was completed in 1859. It was restored and reopened in 2018.
A fire broke out in July during renovation work on the tower of a medieval cathedral in Rouen, northern France. No major damage was reported.
_1.jpeg)
_1.jpeg)
