I have been looking at photos take this morning of the exterior, overhead views and interior.
I am
extremely surprised and pleased that it appears that the stone primary structure; walls,
flying buttresses and interior roof vaults are almost totally intact. One interior stone roof vault (of maybe 20-25, perhaps more)
has fallen, and there is also one hole, but I judge it "smallish" (may be 15 ft, but on that scale still small).
All or almost all the stained glass appears intact, the organ has apparently largely or completely
survived, it appears that a majority of the wooden pews are all intact and the interior, contrary to
many reports appear to be NOT at all "gutted", appear mostly undamage.
It looks like the exterior roof (I call it the 'weather cap') which was wooden beams with a roof sheath of copper
sheet has been essentially entirely burned, BUT the almost totally intact interior stone roof vaults kept these
burning beams from falling into the interior and lighting it off. It looks like almost all this huge bonfire was outside
(above) the real stone interior roof vaults. And both bell towers appear to be 100% intact, no scorching visible at all.
I am really amazed in a good way. The next critical business will be to get some sort of a temporary weather
cap over this to keep out the rain while they build the new permanent weather cap. One French expert says that there are
no trees in France large enough to remake the roof beams. I think this is perhaps a blessing. Rebuilding that secondary,
unseen (inside or out) structure of wooden beams would just be setting up a replay at some future date. Steel
would be fire resistant, lighter and last far longer. Make the exterior appearance to be identical, but no real need
to put back the fire hazard roof beams, it would seem.
But, they probably are not going to ask my opinion.
Bill