Officials in France have concluded that there is no reason to believe that any criminal action was involved in a fire that devastated the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral in April.
The root cause of the fire is still a mystery, however, investigators are now looking into the probability of negligence.
A “badly stubbed out cigarette” or electrical fault are among the possible causes being considered.
The fire occurred on 15 April, and gutting the roof the landmark Cathedral.
A statement, signed by the chief prosecutor of Paris, Remy Heitz, said no evidence had been found to suggest any “criminal origin” to the fire.
“The investigations carried out to this date have not yet been able to determine the causes of the fire,” the statement said.
It added that “deeper investigations” would now be undertaken to find out if it had been a case of involuntary damage caused by negligence.
The blaze at the famous landmark shocked people around the world in April.
The 850-year-old building’s spire and roof collapsed in the fire but luckily the main structure, including its two bell towers, were not destroyed.
At the time of the fire the Cathedral was undergoing restoration work.
Hundreds of millions of pounds have since been donated to restore the beloved cathedral, which draws an estimated 13 million visitors each year. The landmark has also played a role in key moments of French history, is seen as a major symbol of the Catholic faith and was the inspiration for the popular 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.