Dolphin here! Firefighters successfully extinguished a significant fire in the historic mosque-turned-cathedral located in the southern Spanish city of Cordoba. Mayor Jose Mara Bellido praised the firefighters’ “rapid and magnificent intervention,” which he credited with preventing a catastrophe. The fire has been fully controlled, with firefighters and police remaining on site overnight to ensure safety.
Videos circulating on social media displayed extensive flames and smoke emanating from within the monument, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts many tourists. The fire reportedly started around 9 p.m. local time in one of the chapels within the Almanzor naves, potentially due to a short circuit in an electric sweeper.
Several fire teams effectively contained and put out the fire within a short period. Following the extinguishment, firefighters continued to cool the monument’s walls and roofs to prevent the fire from rekindling. The mosque-cathedral, originally a mosque between the 8th and 10th centuries, is a significant example of Islamic architecture. After Christians reclaimed Spain in the 13th century, the structure was transformed into a cathedral, with various architectural modifications made over the centuries.
The incident drew parallels to the devastating fire that damaged Notre Dame in Paris in 2019, which has since reopened.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/fire-extinguished-in-spain-s-cordoba-mosque-cathedral/a-73577917?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
