Notre Dame bees survive massive blaze

Three beehives were housed at Notre Dame on a roof about 30 meters below the main roof where the fire spread. Each hive has about 60,000 bees.

APRIL 21, 2019 03:47

Sparks fill the air as Paris Fire brigade members spray water to extinguish flames as the Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris, France, April 15, 2019. (photo credit: PHILIPPE WOJAZER/REUTERS) — Sparks fill the air as Paris Fire brigade members spray water to extinguish flames as the Notre Dame Cathedral burns in Paris, France, April 15, 2019.

(photo credit: PHILIPPE WOJAZER/REUTERS)

Thousands of bees housed at the Notre Dame Cathedral survived the massive fire which ravaged the cathedral last week, according to CNN.

"Right after the fire I looked at the drone pictures and saw the hives weren't burnt, but there was no way of knowing if the bees had survived," beekeeper Nicolas Geant told CNN. "I got a call from Andre Finot, the spokesman for Notre Dame, who said there were bees flying in and out of the hives which means they are still alive!"

The bees living on Notre Dame's roof survived the fire https://t.co/VoV5bIKzCc pic.twitter.com/aeRxJXJnsr
— CNN (@CNN) April 19, 2019

Three beehives were housed at Notre Dame on a roof about 30 meters below the main roof where the fire spread. Each hive has about 60,000 bees.

"Wax melts at 63 degrees, if the hive had reached that temperature the wax would have melted and glued the bees together, they would have all perished," Geant said. The hives probably filled with smoke, but smoke isn't dangerous for the bees.

Geant doesn't know yet if all the bees survived, but he's confident since the hives didn't burn and bees have been spotted.

"I was incredibly sad about Notre Dame because it's such a beautiful building, and as a catholic it means a lot to me," Geant told CNN. "But to hear there is life when it comes to the bees, that's just wonderful. I was overjoyed. Thank goodness the flames didn't touch them. It's a miracle!"