The German bombs reached Reims Cathedral on September 18, 1914. The fire first ignited a wooden scaffolding established on the north tower. The firefighters being deprived of water by burst pipes, the fire entered the nave through the large rose window, which broke from the heat. It spread over the straw intended for the resting of wounded German soldiers on the cathedral's floor. On the roof, 400 tons of molten lead escaped from the gargoyles, and the 2,430 cubic meters of the timbered framework disappeared. The incident caused immense emotion throughout France and abroad.