A major fire that broke out on Thursday at an art center in Moscow has been extinguished through the efforts of dozens of firefighters, two of whom died, a senior firefighter said.
The fire that engulfed the Grabar All-Russian Art, Scientific and Restoration Center covered around 2,000 square meters. The Russian Emergencies Ministry sent 20 fire teams and three firefighting helicopters to put out the blaze.
According to the ministry, the helicopters performed more than 100 flights as firefighters struggled to extinguish the fire.
"The cause of the fire will be revealed in the course of an investigation," the firefighter said.
The center was established in 1918 by Igor Grabar, a scientist and fine-art expert, who headed it until 1930. The center mainly focuses on ancient Russian art, 18th century Russian art and scientific examinations of paintings and graphic works.
Grabar center specialists have been involved in the restoration of many art treasures, including Andrei Rublyov's The Old Testament Trinity icon and frescoes in the Moscow Kremlin and several ancient Russian churches.
MOSCOW, July 15 (RIA Novosti)
