As much of the world watched in stunned disbelief online or on their televisions Monday, a group of students from Southern Aroostook Community School had a first-hand view of the devastating fire that ripped through the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Flames obliterated the central spire, roof and much of the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral, according to the Washington Post.
Island Falls’ residents Jan Vose and her daughter Paige take a “selfie” in front of Notre Dame Cathedral on Sunday, April 14. The following day a massive fire destroyed parts of the famed church.
(Courtesy of Jan Vose)
The fire, which may have been started by a construction accident, could be seen for miles around, including by Island Falls resident Jan Vose, who is visiting Paris with a group of four Southern Aroostook Community School students — her daughter Paige Vose along with Alexa Merry, Abigail Stevens and Shaylyn Lindsay.
Vose, a special education teacher for grades 4-6 at SACS, said the group visited Notre Dame on Sunday, April 14, just one day before the devastating fire. The trip marked her first visit to Paris.
Island Falls’ residents Jan Vose and her daughter Paige take a “selfie” in front of Notre Dame Cathedral on Sunday, April 14. The following day a massive fire destroyed parts of the famed church.
(Courtesy of Jan Vose)
“Today has been interesting,” she said Tuesday. “We went to Versailles and it was packed, due to most of central Paris being shut down. They were really saddened last night. Many cried and have talked about it today. Seeing it burnt from afar was powerful. It’s definitely nothing I’ll ever forget.”
She said the cathedral was “stunning” when they toured on Sunday.
“You could feel the history and pride in the building the moment you step inside,” Vose said. “The outside is so beautiful and big. You can see it from afar.”
The group members learned of the fire from a phone call from a parent of one of the students. They were in a cafe at the time, looked out the window and saw the skies filled with smoke.
The interior of Notre Dame Cathedral captured Sunday by Island Falls’ resident Jan Vose, just one day before the devastating fire.
(Courtesy of Jan Vose)
“We weren’t sure if it was arson, terrorists or construction related,” said Vose, who captured video images of the smoking structure from where she was. “We knew they were (in the process of) restoring it.”
She said the mood in Paris was one of overwhelming sadness. The group had planned to tour the Eiffel Tower on Monday, but instead decided to leave the city to keep the children safe.
“At that point the fire was raging and no one really knew what the cause was,” she said.
Paige Vose of Island Falls lights a candle at the famed Notre Dame Cathedral on Sunday, just one day before a construction fire ravaged the iconic building.
(Courtesy of Jan Vose)
Paige Vose said the fire was very emotional as she had just lit a ceremonial candle for her family while visiting the cathedral on Sunday. Knowing that those candles were now gone was especially difficult.
Merry shared similar sentiments.
“The feelings were mixed, with us being thankful that we were able to see Notre Dame the day before, but saddened that such a huge part of Paris’ history was ruined,” she said.
Jason Anderson, choral director for RSU 29 in Houlton, is also in Paris as part of a family trip and was slated to tour the cathedral on Tuesday.
“We walked as close to Notre Dame as the French National Police would allow,” Anderson said Tuesday. “Most of the two-plus blocks around the cathedral are closed by police. This is my first visit to Paris and I never had the opportunity to see it with the roof.”
Flames and smoke rise as the spire on Notre Dame cathedral collapses in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Diana Ayanna)
Anderson said there was a mix of people gathering near the church on Tuesday, from the very solemn to tourists looking to snap photos. Many were on the bridges and in nearby parks that overlooked the cathedral, he added.
“I was in London when I heard the news,” Anderson said. “We traveled by train to Paris, less than 12 hours after fire crews got the blaze under control. The 24-hour news cycle in Paris is covering this non-stop. It’s clearly and understandably a huge deal here.”
Bishop Robert Deeley of the Diocese of Portland also expressed sorrow at the loss in a press release Monday evening.
“France has lost a cultural icon that has stood for over eight centuries, and the world has lost a beloved symbol of Christianity,” he wrote. “The Cathedral of Notre-Dame served as a beautiful center of faith for countless generations of Catholics and as a source of inspiration and architectural brilliance for the millions of tourists who were blessed to visit it. It is difficult to process this tragic loss.
“At the request of Archbishop Michel Aupetit, archbishop of Paris, I invite Maine churches to ring their bells as an invitation to prayer. The Diocese of Portland joins the faithful around the world in praying for the people of Paris …”
