Historic Gdansk Church Up In Flames

A FIRE has ripped through a historic church in the Polish city of Gdansk yesterday, causing the roof to collapse, authorities said.

There were no initial reports of injuries as Poland's TVN24 television channel broadcast pictures showing the roof of St Catherine's Church engulfed in flames.

The church has architectural elements dating back to the 13th century.

Firefighting teams sealed off the area and began to battle the flames. Dariusz Ratajczyk, a spokesman for the Gdansk fire department, told the TV channel that workmen had been repairing the church roof earlier in the day, though he gave no details of what might have sparked the blaze.

Adam Koterkiewicz, an art historian, told the broadcaster that the church contained precious Renaissance and Baroque paintings, a museum of church clocks and a unique carillon - a musical instrument containing several bells.

"These are very precious things and it would be a real tragedy if anything happened to them," Mr Koterkiewicz said.

"The fire and the tons of water poured on it will certainly affect the works of art, but miracles do happen."

Mr Ratajczyk said that the Baltic city's St Catherine's Church had been largely destroyed by fire in 1905 and but had since been laboriously reconstructed.

The church's 37-bell carillon has chimed every hour on the hour since the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War.

by ETHAN MCNERN