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Explosions heard near the start of the fire may have the explosion of
oxy-acetylene canisters used by construction workers for soldering
work on the roof.


Paris museum blaze causes less damage than feared
By Christian Curtenelle

PARIS, July 23 (Reuter) - A fire at one of Paris' most popular tourist
attractions damaged exhibits in an architecture museum but spared
30,000 films in the nation's premier film library, officials said on
Wednesday.
Two among some 200 firefighters were slightly injured as they battled
the overnight blaze in the Palais de Chaillot, facing the Eiffel Tower
from Trocadero Square, which houses the Museum of French Monuments and
the Cinematheque film library.
``I was relieved to discover this morning that the damage was less
than feared,'' Culture Minister Catherine Trautmann told a news
conference after the fire was doused.
``Ten percent of the exhibits suffered slight water damage. Nothing
has been destroyed,'' she said, referring to the plaster-casts,
sculptures and models in the Museum of French Monuments.
Nathalie Bondil, a museum curator, said about 100 casts of Gothic art
had been damaged but none had been destroyed. The worst damage was
caused by water used by firemen to extinguish the blaze, which broke
out on the roof on Tuesday night.
All 30,000 films in the Cinematheque library were untouched, another
official said. About 40 reels of film in a projection room were
carried out to safety during the blaze.
Police reckoned it was ``very probable'' that the fire began by
accident, breaking out in an area of the roof that was being
renovated.
``The investigation is under way. Apparently there was soldering work
being carried out during the day,'' Trautmann said. ``It seems the
fire smouldered for several hours, which explains its scale.''
She said explosions heard near the start of the fire may have the
explosion of oxy-acetylene canisters used by workers for the
soldering.
The Museum of French Monuments includes plans or models of some of
France's most famous buildings, including the great cathedrals of
Notre-Dame and Chartres.
Copyright 1997 Reuters Limited.



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