Fire a major threat to cultural relics: authority
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E-mail Xinhua, April 18, 2014
The State Administration of Cultural Heritage said on Friday that fire has become a major threat to the preservation of cultural relics in China.
Official statistics showed that from 2010 to 2013, 52 fires that put cultural relics in danger had been reported to the administration.
One of the latest incidents was blaze which destroyed nearly two-thirds of well preserved Tibetan homes in Shangri-la County of southwest China's Yunnan Province in January.
The authority attributed fires in historical sites to illegal constructions, for tourism purposes, resulting in less access for firefighters.
Aging electrical wires, misuse of fire, electricity and gas also caused accidents, said the administration, adding a lack of water supply made it difficult to put fires out in ancient villages or buildings far from cities and towns.
China unveiled new rules on fire prevention and control in historical sites on April 9, urging better fire safety for 100 historical towns, villages and buildings on the state protection list.
China has more than 650 cities, towns and villages of historical and cultural value and 3,744 such villages, mostly composed of wooden structures that are vulnerable to fire.
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