Brazil museum fire: funding cuts blamed for inferno
The collection included art and artifacts from Greco-Roman times and Egypt, as well as the oldest human fossil found within today’s Brazilian borders, known as 'Luzi'
Rio de Janeiro — A massive fire has ripped through Rio de Janeiro’s treasured National Museum, one of Brazil’s oldest, in what the president said was a "tragic" loss of knowledge and heritage. The majestic edifice stood engulfed in flames as plumes of smoke shot into the night sky, while firefighters battled to control the blaze that erupted about 90 minutes before midnight on Sunday. Five hours later they had managed to smother much of the inferno, which had torn through hundreds of rooms, but were still working to extinguish it completely, according to an AFP photographer at the scene. By Monday morning the extent of the loss was unclear. Firefighters were poised to enter the charred ruins to see what might be salvageable, a fire department spokesman told AFP, adding that it would be dangerous.
"The facade is resistant, but a lot of material fell from the roof," he said. "We are going to proceed with great care, to see if we can save something." The museum, located in the ci...
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