Notre Dame of Paris – AFP
A “precautionary” measure. The forecourt of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, devastated two years ago by a fire, was temporarily closed to the public due to the excessive concentration of lead caused by the disaster, said Tuesday in a joint statement. , the police headquarters and the regional health agency of Ile-de-France. “The results of the last measurement campaign revealed concentrations of lead dust above the usual Parisian level (…) at certain points in the square. “
A decree was therefore taken to prohibit traffic, both pedestrians and vehicles on this square, with the exception of a perimeter allowing access to the Hôtel-Dieu hospital. The forecourt reopened almost a year ago to the day after being closed for a year, already due to lead pollution detected after the fire.
On April 15, 2019, 460 tonnes of lead from the roof and the spire of the cathedral went up in smoke. A part was then deposited, in the form of dust, on the square and in the adjoining streets. Local residents and associations were deeply concerned about the presence of this toxic heavy metal, which can cause digestive disorders, kidney disruption, nervous system damage or reproductive abnormalities.