Notre-Dame nears re-opening five years after fire

FILE PHOTO: A combination picture shows smoke billowing as fire engulfs the spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, April 15, 2019 (top) and a view of the new spire, surmounted by the rooster and the cross as restoration works continue at the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in Paris, France, March 30, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier and Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - Five years after a devastating fire, the restoration of Notre-Dame cathedral is nearing completion as the world's eyes turn to Paris for the Olympic Games.

On the evening of April 15, 2019, the cathedral's roof burst into flames. Soon, it had engulfed the spire and almost toppled the main bell towers. Around the world, TV viewers watched with horror as the medieval building burned.