Completing a major step in the restoration process of the historic cathedral, 200 tons of scaffolding has been removed from the damaged structure.
Over a year after the iconic cathedral caught fire, scaffolding has been finally removed from the roof of Paris’ Notre Dame. Successfully removing the same has resulted in the completion of a major step in the lengthy restoration process of the structure.
The Associated Press Reported that, since the building was under construction when the fire broke out in April 2019, experts had worried that the 200 tons of scaffolding may have welded to the structure of the cathedral which in turn sparked fears that it could cause more damage to the structure when it’s removed.
A wire service reported, citing the Notre Dame restoration officials that, the scaffolding had been in place during the fire but, it was “deformed by the heat” of the blaze.
The cathedral celebrated this feat by posting a photo taken from above the historic building.
“Congratulations to the teams… who today completed the dismantling of the scaffolding,” Notre Dame wrote in the Instagram post.
This successful step marks a major step forward in the efforts to restore the structure and eventually reopen Notre Dame by 2024.
A few months ago, people were once again allowed to visit the public plaza in front of Notre Dame after the toxic lead dust from the fire was removed. The crypt below the building was also reopened since it was not damaged by the blaze but was affected by the toxic lead dust.
The work for restoration of the iconic structure continued despite the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced the country into a second lockdown.