Historic cathedral destroyed in blaze
Print Edition
FIRE destroyed one of China’s oldest cathedrals in the early hours of yesterday, in the east China city of Ningbo, local firefighting authorities said.
No casualties were reported.
The fire broke out at 12:50am in the gothic-style Jiangbei Cathedral. The cathedral was built in the Jiangbei District of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, by a French bishop in 1872.
More than 50 firefighters spent two hours putting out the fire, but only the frame of the main building survived, said the firefighting division, under the city’s public security department.
“The inside of the building is totally destroyed. It’s a great loss. The church is such a beautiful building,” one firefighter told Xinhua news agency.
The church, a landmark of Ningbo, is a key cultural relic under state-level protection for great historical and architectural value.
The bell tower and ancillary buildings were unscathed, thanks to the efforts of firefighters.
A church staff member who was staying in the building overnight said the fire broke out at the altar, but he did not know how it started.
An investigation into the blaze is under way.
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