FILE PHOTO: French firefighters gather at the scene of a fire at the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Nantes, France, on July 18, 2020. REUTERS / Stephane Mahe
PARIS (Reuters) – A 39-year-old man was arrested in connection with a fire in the 15th-century cathedral in the French city of Nantes that exploded stained glass and destroyed the great organ, the LCI television channel reported Sunday.
The man, a Rwandan refugee, volunteered for the cathedral and had been in charge of closing the building on Friday night, LCI said, quoting prosecutor Pierre Sennes.
Sennes said the man in custody was in custody to clear up inconsistencies in his schedule.
He said Saturday that three fires had started at the site and there were no signs of trespassing. Authorities said an investigation had been opened for the alleged arson.
The fire started on Saturday morning, engulfing the interior of the gothic structure in flames. Firefighters brought it under control after several hours and completely extinguished it in the afternoon.
It happened just over a year after a fire in the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris that destroyed its roof and main spire.
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