Cigarette, electric fault among possible Notre-Dame fire causes

Paris prosecutors ruled out, in a statement published on Wednesday, criminal motives in the cause of the devastating fire at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on April 15, but believed negligence possible.

According to a two-month preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire, prosecutors found that it was most likely started accidentally.

The investigators have focused attention on several hypotheses "including a malfunctioning of the electrical system or a fire which started with a badly stubbed-out cigarette", said the statement, indicating that criminal motives have been ruled out.

According to the prosecutor's office, "more in-depth" investigations will now have to be carried out.

Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris caught fire on April 15. It is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture which receives about 12 million visitors each year.