President Trump Reacts to Notre Dame Fire: ‘Must Act Quickly’

Following the large fire that broke out at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, President Trump implored officials to act with haste.

He posted on Twitter as flames shot up the famous spire at the cathedral. A video later showed the spire collapsing.

“So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!” Trump wrote.

First Lady Melania Trump tweeted that her “heart breaks” for locals in Paris after the fire, adding that she’s also “praying for everyone’s safety.”

“Notre Dame is an iconic symbol of faith to people all over the world – and it is heartbreaking to see a house of God in flames. Our thoughts and prayers are with the firefighters on the scene and all the people of Paris,” Vice President Mike Pence tweeted.

French President Emmanuel Macron also issued a statement as the building continued to burn.

“Like all our countrymen, I’m sad tonight to see this part of us burn,” he wrote, according to a translation.

“Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,” said witness Jacek Poltorak told Reuters.

The area around Notre Dame was evacuated.

Firefighters tried to contain the blaze with water hoses and cleared the area around Notre Dame, which sits on an island in the River Seine and marks the very center of Paris.

“Everything is collapsing,” a police officer near the scene said as the entire roof of the cathedral continued to burn.

The Gothic cathedral is famed for its many carved stone gargoyles, stunning stained glass windows and the flying buttresses that hold up its walls. “There are a lot of art works inside...it’s a real tragedy,” Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters at the scene.

Reuters contributed to this report.