Germany laments fire at Notre-Dame, 'symbol of France'

Germany lamented the huge fire devastating Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday, with Chancellor Angela Merkel's office calling the building a "symbol of France and of our European culture".

"These horrible images of Notre-Dame on fire are painful," Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Twitter. "Notre-Dame is a symbol of France and of our European culture. Our thoughts are with our French friends.