Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please CLICK HERE
The following was excerpted from the Deseret News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
It was like a scene out of a horror movie.
The Notre Dame Cathedral was suddenly ablaze on Monday, the flames dancing in front of the darkening Paris sky.
Firefighters saved the majority of the structure, except for its world-famous spire, which collapsed into the remains of the cathedral that draws more than 13 million visitors a year and 30,000 people a day.
No one was injured. Patrons gathered outside the church to sing hymns, including “Ave Maria,” a mournful melody highlighting the ironic twist of fate that such devastating damage should occur during Holy Week, the days of Christian religious celebration leading up to Easter.
But the stunning conflagration raises questions for other major architectural structures with religious significance, including those in Utah, such as the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which draws more than 3-5 million visitors each year — more visitors than all five of the state’s national parks combined.
The church is scheduled to detail the lengthy renovation and retrofitting plans for the temple on Friday, and as Notre Dame burned it brought clearly into focus the need for care during what firefighters say can be a particularly dangerous time for historical structures.
“We make every effort to protect our historical facilities from fire or any damage,” church Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé told the Church News Monday. Bishop Caussé, a native of France, watched with sadness as he and his wife Valerie noted the devoted sacrifice of so many over the centuries to build such a grand cathedral for worship in Paris.
“Because renovation work may put our historic facilities at greater risk, we use fire prevention plans. These plans typically include 24-hour fire watch, fire suppression systems and extinguishers placed strategically around the facility, and extensive training of staff and workers.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.