World
France’s head of Notre-Dame renovation dies in accident while hiking
The man heading the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris following a devastating fire three years ago has died in an accident while hiking in the Pyrenees.
General Jean-Louis Georgelin’s death was reported by French media and confirmed by President Emmanuel Macron.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“The nation loses one of its great soldiers. France, one of its great servants. And Notre-Dame, the architect of its revival,” Macron said on social media X, formally known as Twitter.
A celebrated landmark, the cathedral has been closed for restoration since a fire in April 2019 gutted its roof and sent its spire crashing down, stunning people in Paris and around the world.
Georgelin, a 74-year-old army general, was appointed to lead the renovation following the fire. Authorities hope to reopen the cathedral by 2024, when the French capital hosts the Olympic Games.
Notre-Dame will be restored to its previous design, including the 96-metre (315-feet) spire designed by architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc in the mid-1800s.
Read more:
Macron visits Notre-Dame to mark fire anniversary