SHURI CASTLE, OKINAWA COMPLETELY ENGULFED BY FLAMES ON 31 OCT 2019

The 600-year-old castle was the seat of Kings for more than 400 years

(Picture: Shutterstock)

Large parts of Shuri Castle, a symbol of Okinawa Prefecture and popular tourist attraction in the city of Naha, were destroyed in a fire early Thursday morning, authorities said. The cause of the blaze remains unknown.

There were no reports of injuries, police and fire officials said, but about 30 nearby residents were temporarily evacuated.

The fire had been completely extinguished by around 1:30 p.m., an official at the fire department in Naha said.

About 4,800 square meters of the facility were destroyed by the blaze, including the main, north and south buildings. The main building was made from wood, while the north and south buildings also incorporated steel. No sprinklers had been installed, the fire department said.

“All the (three) main buildings have burned down, and nothing remains,” said Daisuke Furugen, an official with the Naha Fire Department.

Efforts to extinguish the fire involved 30 fire engines and some 100 firefighters, he added.

Fire officials said it is highly likely the fire started inside the main building, a grand red structure with traditional tiling on the roof, and spread quickly to nearby buildings. A security company reported the fire to the fire department at around 2:40 a.m. after a fire alarm went off at around 2:30 a.m.

Reported by: Japan Times
Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/10/31/national/shuri-castle-fire/#.Xbuz3ugzZPY