Latvia probes blaze at presidential palace
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Thursday, December 12, 2024


Latvia probes blaze at presidential palace
Riga castle, parts of which date from the early 13th century, is officially the residence and workplace of Latvian President Andris Berzins.



RIGA (AFP).- Latvian police on Friday began probing the cause of a major roof fire at Riga Castle, official residence of the president, after firefighters battled through the night to bring the blaze under control.

It was "much too soon" to judge the cause but all possibilities, including arson, were being considered, interior ministry official Ilze Peterson-Godmane told reporters in the Latvian capital.

No one was killed or seriously injured, according to state fire and rescue service VUGD, which deployed all available fire crews after flames were spotted shooting out of the roof late Thursday.

VUGD chief Oskars Abolins said an area of more than 3,000 square metres (33,000 square feet) had caught fire, lighting the night sky well into the early hours of the morning and drawing hundreds of onlookers.

"This was the largest and most complicated fire in Riga in recent times," Abolins told state radio.

Riga castle, parts of which date from the early 13th century, is officially the residence and workplace of Latvian President Andris Berzins.

However since September 2012 the chancellery has been located elsewhere while extensive renovation work is carried out, and Berzins prefers to live at his family home.

Berzins described the fire as a "national disaster" during a morning visit to inspect the damage.

The investigation "is likely to take several weeks, and will possibly involve experts from neighbouring countries," police spokeswoman Sintija Virse told the state-run LR1 radio channel.

According to Abolins, firefighter efforts had been hampered by low water pressure and outdated equipment. Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis said he would ask government for more cash for an upgrade.

The National History Museum, also housed in the castle, issued a statement saying its collection had not been destroyed but that firefighters were assessing damage to the building's upper storeys.



© 1994-2013 Agence France-Presse










Today's News

June 22, 2013

The Phillips Collection celebrates Ellsworth Kelly at age 90 with recent multi-panel works

Mesopotamia: Inventing Our World opens at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto

Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed makes its world premiere at the Science Museum of Minnesota

Meadows Museum acquires album of drawings and letters by important Spanish and European artists

Sickert from Life: Exhibition of fifty works by Walter Sickert opens at The Fine Art Society

Paper: Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery challenges our received ideas and expectations about paper

New Museum presents first New York museum exhibition of works by Llyn Foulkes

Vancouver Art Gallery provides an innovative look at 17th century Dutch and Flemish art

RISD Museum launches new visual identity and website by award-winning New York-based design studio

Washington & Lee University archaeologists unearth major find on Robinson Hall construction site

Shi Zhiying's first exhibition in the United States opens at James Cohan Gallery

Noa Noa: Exhibition at Metro Pictures presents eight American and European artists

Christie's presents First Bytes: Iconic Technology from the Twentieth Century in online-only auction

Nancy Stula named to lead William Benton Museum of Art

Boise Art Museum opens Kehinde Wiley, The World Stage: Israel

Latvia probes blaze at presidential palace

Magnificent Roman statue on view at Nelson-Atkins represents start of museum partnership with Rome

National Museum of Women in the Arts presents first major museum exhibition of Audrey Niffenegger

Straight plc becomes first Founding Patron of The Tetley, Leeds's new centre for contemporary art




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful