Cllr Bloore: "People gasped when the tower and roof fell in"

Christopher Bloore was on holiday in the French capital when the blaze broke out yesterday evening.

People watched around the world as the fire gripped the iconic Cathedral, many fearing its famous structure was doomed.

However, late last night the French fire service announced that it had managed to save the building as well as the many treasures and artworks that had been inside.

Today the fire has been fully extinguished thanks to the 400 firefighters who tackled the blaze through the night, watched by crowds of horrified Parisians.

Two police officers and one firefighter were injured as teams battled to save the structure of the 850-year-old Gothic masterpiece and the priceless artefacts it housed.

Last night Cllr Bloore, who represents Bromsgrove South on Worcestershire County Council and Sidemoor on Bromsgrove District Council for Labour, tweeted from the scene: "People watching the fire in disbelief. Gasps when the spire and what looked like the roof collapsed. Incredible bravery of fire fighters fighting to save the building #NotreDame"

And in another he reflected: "Walked past Notre Dame twice today - standard massive queues of tourists ready to go in. So awful to see a historic piece of Paris going up in flames."

Just hours before Cllr Bloore had tweeted: "Quite happy to spend my Monday in the sunshine in Paris."

Speaking from Paris today, Cllr Bloore said: "We were walking back to our hotel along the Seine when the fire initially broke out.

" It was by the time we got to the hotel about a mile away that we saw the fire starting to engulf the building.

" I stood on the bridge with hundreds of people just watching the sky full of smoke and the cathedral turn orange.

"People were crying and most others were just shocked at what they were watching. People gasped when the tower and roof fell in.

"It was a surreal experience to share it with people live - felt like a scene in a disaster movie."

Cllr Bloore, who is on holiday with his wife, said the couple had planned to visit Notre Dame today but instead the remains are all cornered off guarded by armed police and engineers can be seen working on the structure.

He added: "The atmosphere is much better today then last night when people were visibly upset and angry.

"Today people are stopping to look and the streets are full of media interviewing people.

"The papers are full of awful images but French TV is reporting that the structure is sound. But people are still visibly upset when they see the stained glass windows blackened and the damage done to the roof and tower."

The tragedy has prompted a global outpouring of support, with leaders pledging to help France rebuild the smouldering ruin.

The fire, which broke out as the last crowds of tourists ended visits at around 6pm BST (7pm local time), was finally declared to be "fully extinguished" more than 12 hours later on Tuesday morning.

Speaking in front of the cathedral, junior Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said: "The task overnight was to bring the fire under control so it doesn't re-start.

"The task is - now the risk of fire has been put aside - about the building, how the structure will resist."

The Paris Fire Service, Pompiers de Paris, said on Twitter: "The structure of the cathedral is saved and the main works of art have been safeguarded, thanks to the combined action of the various state services committed to our side."

Officials consider the fire an accident, possibly as a result of restoration work taking place at the global architectural treasure.

Gabriel Plus, a spokesman for Paris firefighters, said emergency services were currently "surveying the movement of the structures and extinguishing smouldering residues".

Scores of Parisians gathered on the banks of the Seine as the sun rose this morning (Tuesday) to survey the damage to their beloved landmark.

Daniel Etieve, 70, said: "It's a very sad picture. For over 800 years this cathedral has been passed from generation to generation.

"Now I question what state we will pass it on to the generations after us.

Hundreds of millions of euros have been pledged to rebuild the national monument, while French president Emmanuel Macron said a national subscription would be launched when he visited the scene on Monday night.

French tycoon Bernard Arnault and his luxury goods group LVMH have pledged 200 million euro (£173 million) towards the reconstruction of Notre Dame, following a reported 100 million euro (£86 million) donation from another French billionaire, Francois Pinault.

And the UK ambassador to France, Ed Llewellyn, said the country stands ready to help with efforts to restore the building.

Meanwhile, European Council president Donald Tusk called on the EU's member countries to help, saying the site in Paris is a symbol of what binds Europe together.

Mr Tusk told representatives that the blaze reminds Europeans of "how much we can lose".