There is no evidence from a preliminary investigation to suggest that a fire that destroyed large parts of Notre Dame Cathedral was criminal, the Paris prosecutor’s office has said.

The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that several hypotheses about the cause of the April 15 blaze include a malfunctioning electrical system or a smouldering cigarette.

The prosecutor’s office announced the opening of a new investigation for “involuntary degradation by fire through manifestly deliberate violation” of security rules or simple imprudence.

France
The Seine river and Notre Dame cathedral (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP)

Three judges will head the probe.

The fire tore through the roof of the 13th-century cathedral, destroying the spire which toppled in flames and sections of the interior.

It has left the crippled monument, once a major tourist attraction, barricaded to the public.