Human error occurs over first fire alarm at Paris' Notre-Dame

Aerial image shows the tragic extent of the damage caused to Paris' iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, ravaged by a massive blaze on Monday night, April 17, 2019. (Photo/Agencies)

The person in charge of checking the fire alarm did not go to the right place after Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris caught fire on April 15, French news channel BFMTV reported on Wednesday, citing a source close to the investigation.

The first alarm was triggered at 6:20 p.m. local time on April 15, the report said. The second alarm sounded 20 minutes later, but it was already too late since the fire has begun to spread.

In another development, French weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported that workers renovating Notre-Dame Cathedral had smoked on site.

The company in charge of scaffolding admitted to police that some of its staff had breached a smoking ban. But it denied any link with the massive fire which destroyed the cathedral's spire and roof.

Paris prosecutors said police conducted an investigation into "involuntary destruction by fire", Criminal motives have been ruled out.

Notre-Dame is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture which receives about 12 million visitors every year.