Fire at St. Basil’s Cathedral on Moscow’s Red Square
Blaze started in the manager’s office and burned about 10 square metres; cause has not been disclosed.
A fire broke out overnight in St. Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square in central Moscow, but was quickly brought under control, authorities said.
According to social media posts from the scene, smoke was visible from the landmark: "SMOKE REPORTED AT ST. BASIL’S CATHEDRAL IN CENTRAL MOSCOW pic.twitter.com/2YGg5YUreJ".
The blaze started in the office of the cathedral’s manager and burned through about 10 square metres of space, officials said. The flames were contained before they could spread to the main worship areas.
Historic monument spared major damage
Built in the mid-16th century, St. Basil’s is an architectural landmark and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990 together with the Kremlin and Red Square.
Authorities have not released a cause for the fire and gave no immediate information on injuries. Investigators and emergency services were reported to be at the site to assess the damage and establish what happened.
Photo: press material from the event
