A World Heritage Site since 2000, the flames destroyed seven wooden buildings. The original castle dates back to the mid-1400s. The main halls of the complex were not equipped with automatic fire extinguishing systems. The government "will do its best to rebuild it".
Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A devastating fire has reduced to ashes the main buildings of a monumental Castle located in the Okinawa, the capital of the southern Naha prefecture. The flames enveloped the site, a World Heritage Site since 2000, early in the morning. Authorities managed to put them out only hours later.
The fire started just before 2:40 am at Shuri Castle, one of Okinawa's main tourist sites and considered a symbol of the prefecture; the rescuers doused the flames at about 1:30 pm, after they had destroyed seven wooden buildings. These occupy a total of 4,800 square meters. There are currently no reports of any injuries, but local authorities have temporarily evacuated more than 30 residents nearby.
The original castle dates back to the Ryukyu kingdom, which lasted 450 years until Okinawa was annexed by Japan (in 1879). The structure fell into disrepair after the fierce battles of the Second World War. It was opened as a national park in 1992, after the restoration of the main hall and some other buildings. Work continued until recently. Local firefighters suspect that the fire started in the Seiden hall, but they are still investigating the causes. To contain the fire, they used more than 10 fire trucks.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference that "Shuri Castle is a symbol of extreme importance to Okinawa", adding that the government "will do its best to rebuild it". In addition to the main hall, the northern hall (Hokuden) and the southern hall (Nanden) are completely destroyed. According to the fire brigade, the three rooms were not equipped with automatic fire extinguishing systems, as their installation was not mandatory.