France's culture minister says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in the coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin.
It's been six months since an April 15 fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood.
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France's culture minister says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in the coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin.
Riester denied that the French government had been slow to recognize the potential harmful effects of the lead that melted from the cathedral's roof. He said health officials were taking regular samples from areas around Notre Dame to check for lead.
Notre Dame cathedral is pictured Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. French Culture Minister Franck Riester said the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood. (AP PhotoMichel Euler)
French Culture Minister Franck Riester speaks six months after a fire broke at the Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. Franck Riester says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood.(AP PhotoMichel Euler)
French Culture Minister Franck Riester speaks six months after a fire broke at the Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. Franck Riester says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood.(AP PhotoMichel Euler)
French Culture Minister Franck Riester speaks six months after a fire broke at the Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. Franck Riester says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood.(AP PhotoMichel Euler)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz, looks on next to the remains of the golden angel that was once atop Notre Dame cathedral, in a warehouse at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz shows the tests of laser cleaning technique on a broken vault stone from Notre Dame cathedral in a warehouse at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz displays a broken vault stone from Notre Dame cathedral in a warehouse at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, Metals chief Aurelia Azema displays traces on the metal pipes of the Notre Dame cathedral organ to measure a kind of lead "fingerprint" at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz, displays his measure of the drying time for a stone from Notre Dame cathedral, in a lab at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, Glass specialist Claudine Loisel checks the Notre Dame cathedral's stained-glass windows in a lab at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, Glass specialist Claudine Loisel checks the Notre Dame cathedral's stained-glass windows in a lab at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
Culture Minister Franck Riester on Tuesday offered an update on the effort to restore the ravaged cathedral. He said conservation work would take several more months, along with parallel work to evaluate the building's soundness.
People walk by Notre Dame cathedral Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. French Culture Minister Franck Riester said the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood. (AP PhotoMichel Euler)
Riester denied that the French government had been slow to recognize the potential harmful effects of the lead that melted from the cathedral's roof. He said health officials were taking regular samples from areas around Notre Dame to check for lead.
Notre Dame cathedral is pictured Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. French Culture Minister Franck Riester said the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood. (AP PhotoMichel Euler)
Notre Dame cathedral is pictured Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. French Culture Minister Franck Riester said the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood. (AP PhotoMichel Euler)
French Culture Minister Franck Riester speaks six months after a fire broke at the Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. Franck Riester says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood.(AP PhotoMichel Euler)
French Culture Minister Franck Riester speaks six months after a fire broke at the Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. Franck Riester says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood.(AP PhotoMichel Euler)
French Culture Minister Franck Riester speaks six months after a fire broke at the Notre Dame cathedral, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 in Paris. Franck Riester says the melted, twisted scaffolding atop Notre Dame Cathedral will be removed "in coming weeks" to allow restoration work to begin. It's been six months since fire gutted the medieval structure, which was under renovation at the time and crisscrossed with scaffolding where the spire once stood.(AP PhotoMichel Euler)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz, looks on next to the remains of the golden angel that was once atop Notre Dame cathedral, in a warehouse at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz shows the tests of laser cleaning technique on a broken vault stone from Notre Dame cathedral in a warehouse at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz displays a broken vault stone from Notre Dame cathedral in a warehouse at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, Metals chief Aurelia Azema displays traces on the metal pipes of the Notre Dame cathedral organ to measure a kind of lead "fingerprint" at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, stone expert Jean-Didier Mertz, displays his measure of the drying time for a stone from Notre Dame cathedral, in a lab at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, Glass specialist Claudine Loisel checks the Notre Dame cathedral's stained-glass windows in a lab at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)
In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, Glass specialist Claudine Loisel checks the Notre Dame cathedral's stained-glass windows in a lab at Champs-sur-Marne, west of Paris. Scientists at the French government's Historical Monuments Research Laboratory are using these objects as clues in an urgent and vital task, working out how to safely restore the beloved Paris cathedral and identify what perils remain inside in a race against the clock. (AP PhotoFrancois Mori)