The Paris prosecutors’ office is treating the Notre Dame fire as an accident and has ruled out arson and terror-related motives.

Paris’ police department will now investigate any “involuntary destruction caused by fire”, a spokesperson said.

The news came as Emmanuel Macron, the French president, pledged to rebuild the iconic cathedral and said he would seek international help to do so.

Notre Dame continued to burn behind Mr Macron as he spoke late on Monday.

“The worse has been avoided although the battle is not yet totally won,” he said.

The Architecture of the Notre Dame Show all 16 1 /16 The Architecture of the Notre Dame The Architecture of the Notre Dame This photograph taken on November 9, 2019, shows the choir screen at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in Paris. - Crowds of stunned Parisians and tourists -- some crying, others offering prayers -- watched on in horror in central Paris on April 15, 2019, as flames engulfed the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Gasps and cries of "Oh my god" erupted at 7:50 pm (1750 GMT) when the top portion of the church's spire came crashing down into an inferno that has spread to the entire roof. AFP/Getty Images The Architecture of the Notre Dame This photograph taken on November 9, 2019, shows a funerary monument to Archbishop Jean-Baptiste de Belloy at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in Paris. - Crowds of stunned Parisians and tourists -- some crying, others offering prayers -- watched on in horror in central Paris on April 15, 2019, as flames engulfed the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Gasps and cries of "Oh my god" erupted at 7:50 pm (1750 GMT) when the top portion of the church's spire came crashing down into an inferno that has spread to the entire roof. AFP/Getty Images The Architecture of the Notre Dame This photograph taken on November 9, 2019, shows the choir screen at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in Paris. - Crowds of stunned Parisians and tourists -- some crying, others offering prayers -- watched on in horror in central Paris on April 15, 2019, as flames engulfed the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Gasps and cries of "Oh my god" erupted at 7:50 pm (1750 GMT) when the top portion of the church's spire came crashing down into an inferno that has spread to the entire roof. AFP/Getty Images The Architecture of the Notre Dame In this file photo taken on April 14, 2017 shows a priest wiping the Crown of Thorns, a relic of the passion of Christ- at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. - A colossal fire swept through the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019, causing a spire to collapse and threatening to destroy the entire masterpiece and its precious artworks. The fire, which began in the early evening, sent flames and huge clouds of grey smoke billowing into the Paris sky as stunned Parisians and tourists watched on in sheer horror. AFP/Getty Images The Architecture of the Notre Dame Notre Dame interior columns, Paris. Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame Notre Dame Cathedral interior statue of Mary and baby Jesus Paris France Europe EU Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame 14th Century Painted Wood Carvings of the life of Jesus on a Choir Screen inside Notre Dame Cathedral Paris France Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame B7J9PK INTERIOR OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL PARIS Alamy The Architecture of the Notre Dame 14th Century Painted Wood Carvings of the life of Jesus on a Choir Screen inside Notre Dame Cathedral Paris France Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame Stained glass depicting Sainte Genevieve's life, cloister of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Paris, France, Europe Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame Interior of Notre Dame, Paris, France Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame Interior view of Notre Dame Paris France. Image shot 08/2008. Exact date unknown Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame Interior of the Notre Dame Cathedral with many stained glass windows and a hanging chandelier in Paris France Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame Cathedral Notre-Dame, Interior, Rose Window, Strasbourg, Alsace, Bas-Rhin Department, France Alamy Stock Photo The Architecture of the Notre Dame Nave, Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Paris, France, Europe Alamy The Architecture of the Notre Dame France. Paris. Cathedral of Notre- Dame. Inside. Alamy Stock Photo

“Notre-Dame is our history, our literature, part of our psyche, the place of all our great events, our epidemics, our wars, our liberations, the epicentre of our lives.”

“Notre-Dame is burning, and I know the sadness, and this tremor felt by so many fellow French people. But tonight, I’d like to speak of hope too,”

The French president said a national fundraising campaign to restore the cathedral would be launched on Tuesday.

He called on the world’s “greatest talents” to help with the effort.

“Let’s be proud, because we built this cathedral more than 800 years ago, we’ve built it and, throughout the centuries, let it grow and improved it. So I solemnly say tonight: we will rebuild it together,” he said.

Mr Macron also praised the “courage” of firefighters who worked through Monday night, trying to save the landmark.

The fire began on Monday evening, with first reports emerging of smoke in the cathedral shortly before 6pm.

Visitors were evacuated and the Paris Fire Brigade began to fight flames which had emerged from the cathedral’s roof.

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Notre Dame’s spire has collapsed in flames but firefighters are optimistic that its two iconic towers have been saved.