A huge fire ripped through Paris’s Notre-Dame cathedral this evening – causing it’s spire to collapse.

Videos circulating on social media showed flames and plumes of smoke pouring from the roof of the medieval building after it caught light this evening.

The blaze was later brought under control, and officials revealed the building had been ‘saved’ from total destruction.

The steeple of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral collapses as the cathedral is engulfed in flames in central Paris on April 15, 2019. - A huge fire swept through the roof of the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year. A spokesman for the cathedral told AFP that the wooden structure supporting the roof was being gutted by the blaze. (Photo by Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP)GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP/Getty Images
The steeple of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral collapses (Picture: AFP)

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Video: Video of the moment Notre Dame’s spire fell during fire

People from the ground cry out as Notre Dame's spire crumbles under the blaze.

Flames rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow brown smoke is filling the air above Notre Dame Cathedral and ash is falling on tourists and others around the island that marks the center of Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The spire has collapsed (Picture: AP)
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke billowing above the roof of the gothic cathedral, the most visited historic monument in Europe. (Photo by Patrick ANIDJAR / AFP)PATRICK ANIDJAR/AFP/Getty Images
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says firefighters are trying to contain the blaze (Picture: AFP)
epa07508757 The spire collapses while flames are burning the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, 15 April 2019. A fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. EPA/IAN LANGSDON
A fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital (Picture: EPA)
epa07508756 The spire collapses while flames are burning the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, 15 April 2019. A fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. EPA/IAN LANGSDON
The spire fell into the blaze (Picture: EPA)
epa07508762 The spire collapses while flames are burning the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, 15 April 2019. A fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. EPA/IAN LANGSDON
Caption: epa07508762 The spire collapses while flames are burning the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, 15 April 2019. A fire started in the late afternoon in one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. EPA/IAN LANGSDON
Photographer: IAN LANGSDON
Provider: EPA
Source: EPA
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. (Photo by FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFP)FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
The blaze has since spread to the spire of the cathedral (Picture: AFP)
Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. (Photo by FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFP)FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral (Picture: AFP)
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke billowing above the roof of the gothic cathedral, the most visited historic monument in Europe. (Photo by Pierre Galey / AFP)PIERRE GALEY/AFP/Getty Images
Videos circulating on social media shows flames and plumes of smoke pouring from the roof (Picture: AFP)
Flames and smoke are seen billowing from the roof at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. - A fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.Images posted on social media showed flames and huge clouds of smoke billowing above the roof of the gothic cathedral, the most visited historic monument in Europe. (Photo by Pierre Galey / AFP)PIERRE GALEY/AFP/Getty Images
The building caught fire this evening (Picture: Getty)

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Paris fire commander Jean-Claude Gallet said a major accomplishment of hundreds of firefighters was stopping the flames from spreading to the north tower belfry.

He said two-thirds of Notre Dame’s roofing ‘has been ravaged’ and one firefighter was injured.

Fire crews will keep working overnight to cool down the structure, Mr Gallet said.

Speaking to Metro.co.uk, one witness said: ‘Started watching when it was smoking under the spire and near the scaffolding.

‘The smoke turned yellow and quite low in the sky – fire started blazing over the roof and now heading to the two towers.’

A police officer at the scene said: ‘An evacuation is in progress. People are being advised to clear the area.

‘Everything is collapsing.’

The Paris emergency services source confirmed that a water drop via plane or helicopter ‘was impossible’ because ‘the weight of the water dropped at low altitude would weaken the building and cause ‘extreme damage’.

This meant that the fire was effectively being able to blaze unattended, except for jets of water being pumped skywards from below.

French media quoted the Paris fire brigade saying the fire is ‘potentially linked’ to the renovation work.

‘Our priority is putting the fire out before working out what caused it,’ said an emergency services spokesman.

Firefighters have been entering the cathedral in a bid to rescue priceless pieces of art.

Joe Nice, an eyewitness at the scene, said: ‘This fire has progressively got worse. The back end of the church, you can see that that side of the roof is burning.

‘The fire department are moving away from the building.’

The cathedral is one the finest example of French Gothic architecture in Europe, and one of the most visited buildings in the world.

Sorry, this video isn't available any more.

Flames burn the roof of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, during a fire. - A major fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky, the fire service said. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year, where renovations are currently underway. (Photo by FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFP)FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
French media quoted the Paris fire brigade saying the fire is ‘potentially linked’ to the renovation work (Picture: AFP)
Flames burn the roof of the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said. - A major fire broke out at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris sending flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the sky, the fire service said. The flames and smoke plumed from the spire and roof of the gothic cathedral, visited by millions of people a year, where renovations are currently underway. (Photo by FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFP)FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron has cancelled his planned speech to the nation in light of the ‘terrible fire’, said an official at the president’s Elysee office (Picture: AFP)

Notre Dame – which means ‘Our Lady’ – was build in 1160 and completed by 1260, and has been modified on a number of occasions throughout the century.

It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, and is vistied by some 12million people every year.

French President Emmanuel Macron has cancelled his planned speech to the nation in light of the ‘terrible fire’, said an official at the president’s Elysee office.

The news came as the fire spread towards the giant spire of the cathedral, as crowds gathered in nearby squares.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says firefighters are trying to contain the blaze.

US President Donald Trump suggested on Twitter that the fire was put out with ‘flying water tankers’.

‘So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,’ he wrote.

‘Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!’.