A fire breaks out at the iconic notre dame cathedral in paris.

Onlookers could see flames and black smoke?

Rising from the top of the centurie?old church as the spire on top of the cathedral collapses.

Firefighters closed off areas?

Surrounding the cathedral as they worked to douse the flames.

According to the associated press?

A spokesperson for the cathedral says the entire wooden interior of the building is likely destroyed.

And the catholic community here in the tr?state is also feeling the loss of the historical building.

Many churches are standing with those in paris as we see the fiery demise of the notre dame cathedral.

Amanda porter talked with a priest who visited the cathedral and has more.

Amanda?

The notre dame cathedral fire is now under control?

But the damage is done.

Tonight many people?

Especially those who visited and saw the clerical work inside the cathedra?

Are shocked at how quickly the world is losing a historical treasure.

Pictures of the notre dame cathedral in paris now mean so much more after a fire burns through the historic building creating ruins.

Retired priest joseph ziliak actually visited the cathedral twi ce.

"this tower came down fell down.

These were still standing the last i saw.

And these things were so tall they couldn't get water up to them."

Fifty thousand people visit the cathedral every day.

"the colors that hit you when you went in.

And they just bathed the space inside with that.

So you got that.

You have people that are looking at carved statues, people that look at stone work.

And some of the delicacies particularily on the outside above each door way there is a whole raft of statues."

The cathedral has been standing since the 1200's?

But flames reportedly started by an electrical problem are burning down the cathedral and its clerical art.

"all of these wonderful stories that we read and see in the bible are here visually."

Now only photos show what a world renowned cathedral that many people hoped to visit within their lives.

Thousand of hands went into creating the cathedral?

And now millions of eyes are watching the notre dame cathedral burn in holy week.

"the very week that we walk with our lord to calvary and undergo with him his passion and depth for us but that this is a point of passionate death for much of what we know."

Not everything was loss in the notre dame cathedral fire.

16 statues including the 12 apostles and 4 evangelists, were removed from the cathedral for renovation just days ago.

Amanda