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(3rd LD) Centuries-old gate collapses in fire
SEOUL, Feb. 11 (Yonhap) -- A fire ravaged Namdaemun, a 600-year-old gate and South Korea's National Treasure No. 1, Sunday night, with police still trying to find the cause of the fire and some experts suspecting arson.
The two-story wooden structure at the heart of Seoul collapsed about five hours after it caught fire late Sunday. The blaze appeared to be under control at one point, but it flared up again a few minutes later, spreading quickly as firefighters tried to salvage the iconic landmark.
The incident came as a shock for many Koreans, destroying their National Treasure No. 1 at the onset of the Lunar New Year.
Police suspected either an electric fault or arson caused the fire. But no tangible clues have emerged as they questioned witnesses and studied footage from surveillance cameras that had been installed at the historic gate, said Kim Young-su, head of Namdaemun Police Station whose jurisdiction covers the gate, said.
"We have acquired three witnesses, but their testimonies are in some parts not consistent," Kim said in a press conference.
One of the key witnesses, a taxi driver who reported the fire to police, was quoted as saying to the police that he saw "a man in his 50s go up the stairs to the gate with a shopping bag a minute or two before the blaze started."
Following the discovery of two disposable lighters, police found two ladders that they suspect may have been used by an arsonist to set the fire on the roof of the two-story gate.
Police plan to send the ladders to the National Institute of Scientific Investigation for further scrutiny.
The landmark, officially called Sungnyemun, or "gate of revering decorum," was the southern gate of the walls that surrounded Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The 600-year-old gate survived a series of Korea's tribulations from the Japanese invasions in the 16th century to the 1950-53 Korean War. Even in modern times when repair efforts on artifacts became commonplace, the historic gate kept most of its original form after it underwent post-war renovation in 1962.
The city government has enhanced the gate, surrounded by skyscrapers on one side and the crowded Namdaemun traditional market on the other, as a historic fixture in Seoul with a grassy area and colorful lights.
"We are deeply sorry. No words can express our sadness," the Cultural Heritage Administration in charge of supervising artifacts said in a statement.
Firefighters said there were only eight fire extinguishers at the six-century-old gate.
Faced with severe criticism for failing to protect the fixture in Seoul, it said reconstruction will begin soon after the piles of debris are removed. Namdaemun will be able to retain its original form, based on its detailed architectural design published in 2006 and a repair report from the 1960s, it said.
The incident comes less than three years after the country lost to fire one of its oldest Buddhist temples, Naksan Temple, along with the temple's bronze bell, also a National Treasure, in April 2005.
Efforts to restore the 1,300-year old temple continue and are expected to cost over 10 billion won (US$10 million).
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
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