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SAVING HISTORY: Firefighters battling to put out the blaze last night at Seoul's Namdaemun gate, which is a national treasure. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL - EIGHTY firefighters yesterday battled a blaze at one of South Korea's most historic sites - the Namdaemun gate in the heart of the capital Seoul.
Firefighters said there were no casualties, but the cause of the blaze had yet to be determined.
'Firefighters are still working to completely put out the fire,' an official at Seoul's Jungbu fire station said. He had no details on damage.
Thick white smoke covered the two-storey wooden structure built on the remnants of stone walls, TV footage showed.
Namdaemun, the oldest wooden structure in Seoul, was given the status of 'National Treasure No.1' in 1962. The original gate was constructed in 1398, rebuilt in 1447, and has since been renovated frequently.
The Yonhap news agency quoted a passing taxi driver as telling police that he had spotted a man in his 50s climbing the stairs on the side of the gate before the blaze started.
The gate is adjacent to Namdaemun Market, which has been operating for centuries and is popular with both tourists and locals.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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