180,000 bees survive Notre Dame Cathedral fire

"The cathedral spokesman Andre Finot told me that the bees are still coming in and out of the hives, they survived," said Nicolas Geant, the beekeeper at Notre Dame. Geant looked at aerial photos taken shortly after the fire and saw that the hives were undamaged, but it was unclear whether the bees were still alive. "I feel very reassured now," he added.

Notre Dame Cathedral has three beehives on the roof of the sacristy, just below the rose window. They were installed in 2013, and each hive contains around 60,000 bees. "They are not located near the centre of the fire, otherwise the bees would die. Even if the hive does not catch fire, the wax could melt, causing the bees to stick together and die," Geant explained.

"I am very sad about the incident with Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, because this is a beautiful building and very meaningful to a Catholic like me. However, the fact that the bees are still alive is a wonderful thing. This is a miracle," Geant shared.

A fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on the evening of April 15 while the 856-year-old building was undergoing renovations, causing the spire and part of the dome to collapse, but the main structure and bell towers remained safe. France is investigating the cause of the fire, while an unnamed official said on April 18 that investigators believe an "electrical fault" caused the fire.