2020 Royal Chapel of Milot fire (Original Article)
| File:Royalchapelhaitifire1.jpg Royal Chapel of Milot destroyed by unknown fire...[1] | |
| 19°37′0″N 72°13′0″W / 19.61667°N 72.21667°W Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. | |
| Date | 12 April 2020 |
|---|---|
| Time | 03:00 AM |
| Duration | 6 hours |
| Venue | Sans-Souci Palace/Royal Chapel of Milot[2] |
| Location | Milot[3] |
| Coordinates | 48°51′11″N 2°20′59″E / 48.8530°N 2.3498°ECoordinates: 48°51′11″N 2°20′59″E / 48.8530°N 2.3498°E Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
| Cause | Unknown |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 0 |
| Property damage | Roof and spire destroyed; windows and vaulted ceilings damaged |
On April 12, 2020, at 3 AM Eastern Daylight Time[4], a structure fire broke out beneath the roof of the Royal Chapel cathedral in Milot.[5] By the time firefighters arrived to stop the fire from spreading, the dome of the cathedral collapsed and the rest of the building was already badly burnt, which caused the loss of everything and objects that were inside the building during the fire.[6]
According to Bishop Alain Prophète and Director Patrick Durandis,[7] art objects and religious relics that were inside of the building were destroyed by the fire, but there is a low percentage of items that were by the door that survived but suffered some smoke damage. Even some exterior items were damaged because the fire was powerful.[8]
According to government officials in Haiti, it will take a little bit of time to build the Royal Chapel of Milot like it was before under the leadership of King Henri Christophe, but Unesco offered help.[9]
Church background
The Royal Chapel of Milot is part of Sans-Souci Palace, it is located in the entry of the palace. The Royal Chapel of Milot is also known as a Church or Cathedrale that King. Henri Christophe used to do worship and other spiritual rituals. The Sans-Souci Palace is a palace in Haiti in the town of Milot, Nord, located approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) northeast of the Citadelle Laferrière, and 13 kilometers (8.1 mi) southwest of the Three Bays Protected Area.
The Royal Chapel of Milot was built between 1810 and 1813 by King. Henri Christophe, the first King of Haiti. Besides others, Christophe was a hero of the war of independence of Haiti, then self-proclaimed himself King Henri I in 1811. This place was build for the Kingdom of Haiti and it is a very important monument in the History of Haiti.
The Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I, also known as Henri Christophe. He used to live there along with his wife, Queen Marie-Louise, and their two daughters. It was the most important of nine other palaces built by the king, as well as fifteen châteaux, numerous forts, and sprawling summer homes on his twenty plantations.[10] The Construction of the palace started around 1810 and was completed around 1813.
Before Sans-Souci was built, Milot used to be a French plantation that Christophe managed for a period during the Haitian Revolution.[11] Under his administration, the palace was the site of opulent feasts and dances. It had beautiful arts, immense gardens, artificial springs, and a system of waterworks. Though Sans-Souci is now an empty place, at the time its splendor was noted by many foreign visitors. One American physician even remarked that it had "the reputation of having been one of the most magnificent edifices of the West Indies."[12]
Citadelle Laferrière is located in the northern department of Haiti and the palace is surrounded by mountains and around is very rich in trees. The oldest palace is now a tourist place that many people around the world love to visit. The Royal Chapel of Milot is a place that was built years ago by Christophe and it was used as monuments by today's society. It was built to repel a feared French invasion that never occurred. The builder, King Henri Christophe was the self-imposed monarch who as a former slave had fought in the American Revolutionary War alongside George Washington.
A severe earthquake in 1842 destroyed a considerable part of the palace and devastated the nearby city of Cap-Haïtien; the palace was never rebuilt. The palace (before its destruction) was acknowledged by many to be the Caribbean equivalent of the Palace of Versailles in France.
UNESCO designated it—and the Citadelle—World Heritage Sites in 1982.
In today's society, Haiti used the palace as monuments valued by the Citizen of Haiti to welcome visitors from across the world.
Fire
On April 12, 2020, the Royal Chapel of Milot,[13] a Haitian monument in Milot listed as World Heritage by Unesco was destroyed by an unknown fire[14] around 3 AM in the morning.[15]
The dome of the Church, about thirty meters in diameter, completely collapsed during the fire, and the cause of the fire remains unknown. [16]
Firefighting
After 3 AM, the whole building was already destroyed by the fire before firefighters arrived at the location.[17] Unfortunately, art objects and religious relics that were inside of the building were destroyed by the fire, and it was too late to save the building.
According to Jacques Bernadin, the Mayor of Milot, the firefighters of the town hall of Cap-Haitien arrived on the scene two hours after being alerted, but it was too late.[18]
Environmental damage
Around 3 AM, the resident near the location noticed large smoke in the air until they saw it was the Church that was under fire. The Haitian political leader Werley Nortreus was one of the leaders who demanded answers after the fire destroyed the Church.[19]
Reactions
After the fire destroyed the monument Church, Bishop Alain Prophète, Director Patrick Durandis, Political leader Werley Nortreus, the resident in Milot, and other leaders across Haiti reacted[20] and the youth demanded an investigation as well[21].
- “This church is the pride of Milot. It’s the pride of the North. It’s the pride of Haiti.” -Alain Prophète, Bishop.
- “Saturday and Sunday, there was no electricity in Milot so I find it hard to understand that the dome of the church caught fire. We cannot say that it is a short circuit: it has to be investigated right away. Even the park was closed due to the coronavirus epidemic, it is hard to understand.” -Patrick Durandis, Director[22]
- “The Royal Chapel of Milot is a historical monument in Haiti and it is so important to me and Haitians. Let’s not forget that this place used to be the favorite place of King Henry Christophe. Unfortunately, it is so sad that this place is destroyed by an unknown fire. How exactly the fire started?” -Werley Nortreus, Political leader[23]
Investigation
Days later after the fire destroyed the building, the Ministry of Tourism , Haiti President Jovenel Moise and Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe demanded the officials in Milot to investigate the cause of the fire[24]
According to authorities in Milot, the cause of the fire is unknown and the fire may have started by lightning. [25]
The investigation is ongoing as Haiti opened an investigation for the case. [26]
References
- ↑ "Une église patrimoniale ravagée par le feu en Haïti". Le Devoir (in français).
- ↑ {{cite news |last1=Centre |first1=UNESCO World Heritage |title=Concern after fire at Milot Church, Haiti |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2100 |work=UNESCO World Heritage Centre}
- ↑ rédaction, La (15 April 2020). "Haïti : Incendie de la chapelle royale de Milot, classée au Patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO". Info Chrétienne (in français).
- ↑ "Haïti : une église patrimoine de l'Unesco ravagée - Toute l'actualité de la Martinique sur Internet - FranceAntilles.fr". France-Antilles Martinique (in français).
- ↑ "Fire guts UNESCO-listed church in Haiti". France 24. 13 April 2020.
- ↑ "Haiti - FLASH : The royal chapel of Milot, world heritage destroyed by fire - HaitiLibre.com : Haiti news 7/7". www.haitilibre.com.
- ↑ "Dome of historic church in Haiti goes up in flames, devastating UNESCO World Heritage site". www.christianpost.com.
- ↑ AFP, Le Figaro avec (13 April 2020). "Classée à l'Unesco, la chapelle royale de Milot ravagée par un incendie en Haïti". Le Figaro.fr (in français).
- ↑ Nòdwès, Rezo (24 April 2020). "L' Unesco offre un soutien logistique à la réhabilitation de la Chapelle royale de Milot". Rezo Nòdwès (in français).
- ↑ Cheesman, Clive (2007). The Armorial of Haiti: Symbols of Nobility in the Reign of Henri Christophe. London: The College of Arms. Search this book on
- ↑ Trouillot, Michel-Rolph (1995). Silencing the Past. Boston: Beacon Press. Search this book on
- ↑ Brown, Jonathan (1837). The History and Present Condition of St. Domingo. Philadelphia: W. Marshall. Search this book on
- ↑ "The Historical Royal Chapel of Milot Destroyed By Unknown Fire In Haiti". South Florida Caribbean News. 14 April 2020.
- ↑ "A UNESCO Church in Haiti Burns". Barnebys.com. 27 April 2020.
- ↑ "Iglesia con más de 200 años de antigüedad es destruida por incendio". www.aciprensa.com.
- ↑ "Dome of Historic Church in Haiti Engulfed in Flames, Devastating UNESCO World Heritage Site".
- ↑ "Haiti - FLASH : The royal chapel of Milot, world heritage destroyed by fire - HaitiLibre.com : Haiti news 7/7". www.haitilibre.com. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ↑ "La chapelle royale de Milot dévorée par un incendie". Le Nouvelliste. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
- ↑ Tagespost, Die (1 May 2020). "Ein Zeugnis der Geschichte". die-tagespost.de (in Deutsch).
- ↑ "The Historical Royal Chapel of Milot destroyed by unknown fire in Haiti". St. Lucia News Online. 27 April 2020.
- ↑ "Incendie de la Chapelle royale de Milot : réactions de jeunes professionnels". lenational.org/.
- ↑ "UNESCO-listed church in Haiti gutted by fire". The Daily Herald.
- ↑ "Royal Church of Milot fire". gnnliberia.com. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ↑ Nodwes, Rezo (14 April 2020). "Le Comité interministériel de Gestion du Parc National Historique fait le point sur l'incendie de la chapelle royale de Milot". Rezo Nòdwès (in français).
- ↑ Nodwes, Rezo (14 April 2020). "Le Comité interministériel de Gestion du Parc National Historique fait le point sur l'incendie de la chapelle royale de Milot". Rezo Nòdwès (in français).
- ↑ "Haiti opens investigation into fire that gutted UNESCO-listed church". http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=54576&SEO=haiti-opens-investigation-into-fire-that-gutted-unesco-listed-church (in español). Retrieved 15 April 2020. External link in
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