$1 billion raised to rebuild Paris' Notre Dame after fire

Nearly $1 billion has alrey poured in from ordinary worshippers and high-powered magnates around world to restore fire-ravd tre Dame Cadral in Paris, after French president set a controversial five-year deline to get work done.

Construction teams brought in a huge crane and a delivery of planks of wood to site on Wednesday morning. Firefighters are still examining dam and shoring up structure after Monday's fire collapsed cadral's spire and destroyed roof.

French President Emmanuel Macron ratcheted up pressure by setting a five-year deline to restore 12th-century landmark.

Macron is holding a special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, April 17, dedicated to tre Dame disaster, which investigators believe was an accident possibly linked to revation work.

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Bells will toll at cadrals around France on Wednesday, April 27 evening in hor of monument. Remarkably, one was killed in fire, after firefighters and church officials speedily evacuated site during a mass.

Presidential cultural herit envoy Stephane Bern told brocaster France-Info on Wednesday that 880 million euros ($995 million) has been raised in just a day and a half since fire. Contributions came from near and far, rich and poor  from Apple and magnates who own L'Oreal, Chanel and Dior, to Catholic parishioners and ors from small towns and cities around France and world.

French government is garing donations and setting up a special office to deal with big-ticket offers. Some criticism has alrey surfaced among those in France who say money could be better spent elsewhere, on smaller struggling churches or workers.

Meanwhile Macron's 5-year deline which happens to coincide with 2024 Paris Olympics, which government wants to make a major showcase  struck many as unrealistic.

Pierluigi Pericolo, in charge of restoration and security at St. Donatian basilica in Nantes, said it could take two to five years just to secure tre Dame, given its size.

"It's a fundamental step, and very complex, because it's difficult to send workers into a monument whose vaulted ceilings are swollen with water," he said on France-Info.

" end of fire doesn't mean edifice is totally saved. stone can deteriorate when it is exposed to high temperatures and change its mineral composition and fracture inside."

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Some 30 people have alrey been questioned in investigation, which Paris prosecutor warned would be "long and complex." Among those questioned are workers at five construction companies involved in work revating church spire and roof that h been under way when fire broke out.

A plan to safeguard masterpieces and relics was quickly put into action after fire broke out.

Crown of Thorns, regarded as tre Dame's most sacred relic, was among treasures quickly transported after fire broke out, authorities said. Brought to Paris by King Louis IX in 13th century, it is purported to have been pressed onto Christ's he during crucifixion.

cadral's famous 18th-century organ that boasts more than 8,000 pipes also survived. Some of paintings and or art works are being dehumidified, protected and eventually restored at Louvre