Weakened Notre-Dame could collapse in winds of over 55mph
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He said that a storm with winds of 55mph could result in the partial collapse of the building.
After the devastating blaze that ripped through it on the night of May 15th, the gothic cathedral has lost its spire and a large part of its roof.
The elaborate stonework of the vaulted roof also partially collapsed, and it is this area that the professor, who produced a fire risk report for Notre-Dame in 2016, speculated was now the most fragile.
He said: "A 60 percent decrease in wind resistance was measured.
"The structure has changed. Part of this structure no longer exists, the roof has disappeared, as well as part of the vault.
"This collapse of part of the vault caused the most significant damage."
The professor, who added that he was working from models and had not had the chance to examine the cathedral; said that the structure could previously have withstood winds up to 137mph, but now the wind resistance had decreased to around 55mph. ■