Govt cuts blamed for Brazil museum inferno
RIO DE JANEIRO: Officials on Monday blamed years of government cutbacks for an inferno that gutted the treasured National Museum, described by President Michel Temer as a “tragic” loss of knowledge and heritage.
Even before the embers had begun to cool, grief over the huge loss gave way to anger at funding cuts many say are threatening the country’s multi-cultural heritage.
The museum’s destruction caused a social media outcry and a crowd of around 500 protesters gathered to form a human chain around its smoldering remains.
“It’s not enough just to cry, it is necessary that the Federal Government helps the museum to reconstruct its history,” director Alexandre Keller said in front of the devastated building.
The fire, the cause of which remains unknown, broke out late Sunday at 7.30pm.
The majestic edifice was swept by flames after closing to the public as plumes of smoke shot into the night sky, while scores of firefighters battled into the early morning to control the blaze.
By morning, the extent of the losses were unclear although a fire department spokesman said there were no reports of victims.
The museum’s collection included art and artefacts from Greco-Roman times and Egypt, as well as the oldest human fossil found within today’s Brazilian borders, known as “Luzia”.