building near kremlin on fire, page 1

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A major fire Sunday gutted a historic building just outside the Kremlin that was used by aristocrats during Czarist days as a horse-riding center.
Reuters reporters said the roof and much of the structure had collapsed within an hour of fire erupting in the Manege, built in the mid-19th century and briefly used as a garage by the Bolshevik revolutionaries.

The Manege, one of the symbols of modern Moscow, had served since the Soviet era as an exhibition center.

Plumes of flame and smoke shot more than 20 meters (65 feet) into the air. Intense heat prevented firefighters from placing ladders up against the building.

Interfax news agency said one firefighter had suffered serious burns. The agency also quoted Russia's Emergency Ministry as saying the fire had probably been caused by a short circuit.

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[Edited on 14-3-2004 by MarkLuitzen]