Paris: Workers on Tuesday started cleaning lead-contaminated areas surrounding the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following a devastating blaze in April that damaged the building. Officials from France’s Ministry of Culture told Efe news that the decontamination work would take up to three weeks. The cleanup will focus on the Notre Dame square, Rue de la Cité and Rue d’Arcole, which were closed off to traffic and pedestrians. The Ministry of Culture said the decontamination units would use two cleaning methods — the first one applying high-pressure detergents and the second using gel to absorb the toxic substance. Last week, workers sprayed a special gel onto the playgrounds at these two schools. The gel attracted the lead particles as it dried and was later removed, according to city authorities. (IANS)