History Tap No. 17: October 15, 2026

Round 1: historic event, world

2019 fire at Notre-Dame de Paris

Happened in Paris, France, on April 15, 2019.

• The fire, which investigators believe was started by a cigarette or an electrical short circuit, destroyed the cathedral's wooden spire (flèche) and most of the wooden roof and severely damaged the cathedral's upper walls.
• Notre-Dame did not hold a Christmas Mass in 2019 for the first time since 1803.
• The cathedral's altar, two pipe organs, and three 13th-century rose windows suffered little or no damage.

Round 2: landmark

Epcot

Opened in Florida, on October 1, 1982.

• In 2024, the park attracted 12.1 million guests, making it the eighth-most visited theme park in the world.
• The park spans 305 acres (123 hectares), more than twice the size of Magic Kingdom Park.
• Often referred to as a "permanent world's fair", Epcot is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, particularly technological innovation and international culture.

Round 3: landmark

Manhattan Bridge

Opened in Brooklyn, New York, on December 31, 1909.

• The uneven weight of subway trains crossing the Manhattan Bridge caused it to tilt to one side, necessitating an extensive reconstruction between 1982 and 2004.
• The Manhattan Bridge was the first suspension bridge to use a Warren truss in its design.
• After streetcars stopped running in 1929, the western upper roadway was finished two years later.

Round 4: historic event

Balloon boy hoax

Happened in Colorado, on October 15, 2009.

• Suspicions of a hoax soon arose, particularly after an interview with Wolf Blitzer on Larry King Live that same evening.
• National Guard helicopters and local police pursued the balloon.
• After flying for more than an hour and approximately 50 miles (80 km), the balloon landed about 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Denver International Airport.

Round 5: historic event, world

1960 U-2 incident spy aircraft

Happened in Russia, on May 1, 1960.

• After his capture, Powers was convicted of espionage and sentenced to three years of imprisonment plus seven years of hard labour; he was released two years later, in February 1962, in a prisoner exchange for Soviet intelligence officer Rudolf Abel.
• The U-2 incident shattered the amiable "Spirit of Camp David" that had prevailed for eight months, prompting the cancellation of the summit in Paris and embarrassing the US on the international stage.
• The Pakistani government issued a formal apology to the Soviet Union for its role in the mission.