As flames continued to ravage Notre Dame cathedral, Parisians gathered in the shadows of the burning building to sing ‘Ave Maria’ in a sombre show of solidarity.
A video showing crowds kneeling and paying poignant tribute was shared as local officials warned the world-famous landmark could be destroyed by the blaze.
The short clip, shared by a correspondent for the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, has already been viewed more than two million times.
Earlier, people across the world watched in shock on television and social media as the spire of the cathedral toppled.
Photos and videos on social media showed the roof of the 850-year-old Gothic building covered in flames, sending a huge plume of smoke across the city’s skyline.
The heartbreaking moment when the spire collapsed was captured on video as onlookers gasped from down below.
Officials said the blaze may be linked to renovation work at the 850-year-old building, with pictures showing the scaffolding around the cathedral alight.
On Monday night, firefighters were battling to prevent one of the main bell towers from also collapsing.
Flames that began in the early evening burst rapidly through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which toppled, quickly followed by the entire roof.
