UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
MARYLAND FIRE AND RESCUE INSTITUTE
BULLETIN OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2025 VOL.55 NO.4
MFRI PLAYS A ROLE IN PROTECTING NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL FROM FUTURE FIRES The iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris reopened just over a year ago following the devastating 2019 fire that destroyed the historic wooden roof and spire. Firefighters were able to save the main structure, preserving most of the cathedral’s history and relics. The structural fire is purported to have started with a burning cigarette or electrical short. Less widely known is that the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) played a small but important role in shaping Notre Dame’s renewed fire protection strategy. According to MFRI Deputy Director Pat Marlatt, the advanced water mist fire protection system now safeguarding Notre Dame was tested in its early developmental stages more than 20 years ago in the Micro Mist building
specifically to protect historic structures. It provides rapid, automatic fire suppression while minimizing water damage, which is essential for preserving centuries-old wood, stone, and artwork. This cutting-edge technology, along with new firewalls and enhanced detection, enables the monument to fight fires itself, protecting vaults and framework and making it the first cathedral in France with this advanced protection.
at MFRI headquarters. At the time, the technology was still emerging, and MFRI served as one of several testing grounds helping to validate its effectiveness. Manufactured by Marioff Corporation, the high-pressure water mist system is designed
Closer to home, the same technology is also protecting St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, further demonstrating the system’s value in safeguarding some of the world’s most treasured structures. photo: Marioff Corporation tested the early iterations of its high-pressure water mist fire-fighting system at MFRI nearly 20 years ago. The system was installed at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after the 2019 fire. Photo courtesy of Marioff Corporation.