Five years after the devastating fire that ravaged Paris’ iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, the investigation into its cause is coming to a close without a definitive answer. While the cathedral is set to reopen its doors to the public on December 7th, the identity of the responsible party, if any, remains a mystery.
The investigation, which began in April 2019, has explored every avenue, including the possibility of human involvement. However, despite numerous expert reports and detailed analyses, investigators have leaned towards the theory of an accident.
Paris’ chief prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, explained in April that the more they delve into the evidence, the more weight is given to the accidental cause. Investigators conducted new expert reports in 2023 on the cathedral debris, the fire’s origin point, and the church’s technical infrastructure. These reports were extremely technical, prompting the need for further analysis and cross-referencing to potentially identify a cause.
Further complicating the investigation is the lack of direct evidence. While no charges have been filed against anyone, the investigation is nearing its conclusion. Remy Heitz, chief Paris prosecutor at the time of the initial investigation, stated that accidental causes like an electrical fault or a smoldering cigarette were the most likely culprits. No new information has emerged since then to suggest a deliberate act of arson.
The investigation has also highlighted safety failings at the cathedral, including a malfunctioning alarm system that slowed firefighters’ response and an electrical system problem in one of the elevators. While these issues are not believed to have directly ignited the fire, they are thought to have contributed to its rapid spread through the monument.
In addition to the ongoing investigation into the fire’s cause, a separate probe is underway into the potential health effects of the lead contamination resulting from the blaze. The cathedral’s roof and spire were covered with 400 tonnes of lead, a toxic heavy metal that was released into the atmosphere during the fire. This has raised concerns about the potential for lead poisoning among local residents and workers involved in the clean-up efforts.
The weight of the lead released during the fire is significant, four times the total annual lead emissions into the atmosphere for all of France. While no charges have been filed in this separate investigation, authorities are investigating the potential health impacts and any negligence that may have contributed to the lead contamination. The investigation into the Notre Dame fire is a testament to the complexity of determining the cause of such a large-scale disaster. While the cathedral is poised to reopen its doors to the public, the investigation is drawing to a close without identifying a specific cause, leaving the mystery of what ignited the blaze unresolved.
