Fire Destroys Russia's Main Art Museum

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts caught fire on Saturday morning, Dec. 10, 2022, sparking panic in Moscow. Officials revealed that one firefighter was injured while tackling the blaze at the art museum, Oli Smith reported for UK’s Daily Express.

Photo Insert: The Pushkin is the largest museum of European art in Moscow and one of the leading destinations for visitors to the Russian capital.

The Pushkin is the largest museum of European art in Moscow and one of the leading destinations for visitors to the Russian capital. The building - known as the Lopukhin estate - is currently being used by the Pushkin State Museum. The two-story old manor house dates back to the late 17th century.

Officials revealed that the man was hospitalized after a ceiling collapsed onto him on the second floor of the building. It is thought that the ceilings between floors caught fire.

The Pushkin holds iconic works from European painters such as Rembrandt, Cezanne, Degas, and Vincent Van Gogh.

On Dec. 9, a huge fire ripped through a major shopping complex on the edge of Moscow, killing at least one person, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said. Arson is eyed as the cause of the fire at the Mega Khimki mall, but an electrical fault is thought to be a more likely trigger.

In March 2022, the museum's deputy director Vladimir Opredelenov resigned to protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Many commentators immediately remarked that buildings appear to be frequently catching fire in Russia. @OMonteyne2, who monitors the Ukraine conflict, tweeted: "Another day, another fire in Moscow." @TR_News17 added: "Every morning in Moscow starts with a fire."

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