Notre Dame Cathedral Fire - How Many Tons Of Lead Smelting?

[DougGuy]

It's very sad to watch this iconic symbol of Christianity for the last 860yrs burn to a total loss.

In looking at the flames, there is a conspicuous yellow/greenish smoke that is given off by lead and some zinc paints, I wonder where the lead is going to land? It won't stay in the atmosphere long before it descends to earth. The news said there was something like 250 tons of lead just in the spire itself.

Gonna be a lot of lead cleanup besides the fire itself. Sad, very sad day in Paris, a loss that will be mourned by the entire world.

[Sig556r]

Really sad to lose an iconic cathedral...

[woodbutcher]

:sad: Yeah.Saw that on the news .Sad day indeed.
Leo

[lightman]

I agree, really sad to see. Lots of history there.

[oldred]

Could be a lot of lead being Melting but not an ounce is being Smelted.

[richhodg66]

I went up in it about 20 years ago when the wife and I went to Paris. Impressive. Very sad day to see it destroyed like that.

[Alan in Vermont]

My Granddaughter went to Mass there 2-3 weeks ago while she was on a whirlwind tour of Europe.

[kens]

I hope that it is not terrorist arson,
that could be a war, sadly

[ascast]

250 tons? tons? of lead from paint? I don't believe that. just sayin..

[DougGuy]

I think the timbers were clad in sheet lead or something. It's not 250 tons of lead in the paint.

[Pablo 5959]

The roofing material was lead.

[country gent]

I think in that time period that a lot of the ornamental work was lead and plated or painted. Lead was a catch all material for plumbing, tubs and containers ( here baptism tubs water storage).

[popper]

Flying buttresses were added to the design after it was started due to poor soil conditions. Roof is copper IIRC, not lead but sealed with lead. Leading used in the glass works. Used in organ pipes also. Used for flashing on the roof .

[Conditor22]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/world/europe/notre-dame-fire.html

[robg]

sad loss

[bedbugbilly]

Truly sad. This morning on the news it was reported that at least two billionaires have donated $$$ to rebuild as well as a go fund account has been set up. Unfortunately, many of the skills utilized over the centuries that it was built no longer exist. When you consider the technology, equipment, etc. that we have today as opposed to what the original builders and craftsmen had available to them, such a structure is truly an amazing feat. If I heard correctly on the TV last night, for the original build it took 60 acres of timberland to furnish the wood for the cathedral construction - and I'm sure all of it would have been 1st growth timber. Kind of strange when you think about it . . . all the turmoil, hate, arguing , etc. that is going on in our country right now . . . . something as catastrophic as the fire and destruction of a historic cathedral causes everyone to stop dead in their tracks, turn and focus on the loss of such a historic structure and everyone have a feeling of loss over it . . . in spite of their political leaning/stance . . maybe there is hope after all?

[gwpercle]

Stained glass windows were historically made with lead splines ( called cames) .... I get a lot of lead from the stained glass shop near my house.
I'm sure a lot of the windows had these lead strips. Roof flashing, roof caps and sheathings would have been used.... I don't know about paint but sheet lead was a quite common building material back then .
After surviving all the ages...it couldn't survive probably a careless worker.
A careless worker nearly destroyed the historic Cabildo in New Orleans during a renovation of the place... sounds familiar .

[lightman]

When we travel for vacations and such we often visit or tour the older parts of whatever town we're in. Cities like New Orleans and Charleston come to mind. You often see lead flashing, lead roof caps, roof jacks, ect. Everyone else is looking at the bushes, doorways, ect. Only a caster.........

[RogerDat]

Lead was the "plastic" of the times. Used all over for sealing and cladding to protect. Lost skills for sure. There are few that can do slate roof work any more in the state and that is on one century old buildings. I read where France no longer has trees large enough to make the roof beams. Those were made from old growth timbers that have been all but extinct in Europe for generations.

Massive outpouring of funding commitments from the billionaires to the small donations funds are pouring in. It is going to take a lot to rebuild but we respect the successful efforts of those that created things intended to last and endure across generations.

Was pretty good story of priest assigned to fire brigade who ran into burning building to rescue priceless relics from the fire. Much was I'm sure lost. Much was saved, and much will be rebuilt.

[WheelgunConvert]

Very disturbing scene. Reminiscent of 9/11/01 kind of feeling.

On a brighter note, rest assured that the architecture and structure is documented to an unbelievable magnitude. The largest challenge is that much of the artisan assets no longer exist to replicate what was destroyed.

Side question though...wouldn’t this church structure be considered an asset of the Vatican?

[Duckiller]

Not the first time it has had problems. Timbers don't last 800 years. They have rebuilt it before and they ill rebuild it again. May even put a sprinkler system in it to control future fires.

[AllanD]

Very disturbing scene. Reminiscent of 9/11/01 kind of feeling.

On a brighter note, rest assured that the architecture and structure is documented to an unbelievable magnitude. The largest challenge is that much of the artisan assets no longer exist to replicate what was destroyed.

Side question though...wouldn’t this church structure be considered an asset of the Vatican?


No, the cathedral itself is property of the French republic and LEASED to The Church.