A man watches the damaged Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire in central Paris, capital of France, April 16, 2019. The devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris has been put out after burning for 15 hours, local media reported on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Alexandre Karmen)

PARIS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday vowed to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral, devastated by fire on Monday evening, within five years, calling on the French to remain united.

In a brief televised speech, Macron told the nation "We will rebuild Notre Dame even more beautifully and I want it to be completed in five years".

"It is up to us to change this disaster into an opportunity to come together... It is up to us to find the thread of our national project, the one that has made us, unites us, a human project, deeply French," he said.

In early Monday evening, a fire broke out in the famed cathedral. Online footage showed thick smoke billowing from the top of the cathedral and huge flames between its two bell towers engulfing the spire and the entire roof which both collapsed later.

The structure of Notre Dame, one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, still stood firm after 15 hours of burning fire. However, "some weaknesses" have been identified notably in the vault, according to Junior Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.

Visiting the burnt site, Macron, last night, announced the launch of a fundraising campaign to reconstruct the cathedral.

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