A massive fire ripped through Brazil’s 200-year old National Museum, likely destroying millions of rare artifacts

AP Photo/Leo Correa

• A massive fire ripped through Brazil’s 200-year-old National Museum in Rio de Janeiro. 
• The museum houses more than 20 million items, ranging from archeological finds to historical memorabilia.
• There was no word of the possible cause late on Sunday, nor if there were casualties or the exact extent of damage.

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A massive fire raced through Brazil’s 200-year-old National Museum in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, probably destroying its collection of more than 20 million items, ranging from archeological finds to historical memorabilia.

The destruction of the building, once a palace for emperors that had fallen into disrepair, was an “incalculable loss for Brazil,” President Michel Temer said in a statement.

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