The Hindu : Blaze consumes history in Edinburgh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

International

International

Blaze consumes history in Edinburgh

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON DEC. 9. A lot of history has gone up in flames in a devastating fire that swept through the 14th century Old Town of Edinburgh at the weekend and was still smouldering on Monday.

Upto 13 historic buildings in this World Heritage Site may have to be demolished but fortunately the town's most architecturally significant structure Adam House has survived the blaze which broke out on late Saturday night evening above a night club and spread quickly through a warren of narrow streets dotted with medieval buildings.

The cause of the fire is still not known .

The Old Town, which stands in the shadow of the imposing Edinburgh Castle, was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995 and is a major tourist attraction. Among the buildings which are feared to have been badly damaged is the Gilded Balloon, which in recent years has emerged as a major venue for the annual Edinburgh Fringe festival.

Some buildings of Edinburgh University have also been affected, and the total loss to the Town is likely to run into millions of pounds. People reacted with shock and disbelief as flames consumed the Old Town's historical landmarks. "All I could see were flames coming from my old studio,'' an artist said devastated by the sight of the building where she had spent many years.

Local councillor Bill Cunningham added: "Such a large fire disaster in the heart of the Old Town has been a major shock for the community but we are relieved there have been no casualties,'' a local councillor Bill Cunningham told journalists.

The layout of the Town, a maze of buildings on different street levels, made things difficult for firefighters and it is likely to take another two days before the fire is put out completely. Meanwhile, the normally bustling town wore a desolate look with most of the areas out of bounds for the public.

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