Backdraft at Historic Hotel Fire in Escanaba (USA)
A 161-year-old landmark hotel, a complex multi-occupancy historic structure, a ventilation-controlled fire in a concealed ceiling space, and a near‑fatal...
Case Histories
Posts describing accidents and damage to cultural heritage fall into this category
Hyrcanian Forest Fires: When Ancient Heritage Burns
In November 2025, Iran requested urgent assistance from friendly countries to contain a large wildfire in the Hyrcanian forests after...
Fire at Public Archives in Zagreb
Late on November 17, 2025, a large fire ripped through the Vjesnik skyscraper on Slavonska Avenue in Zagreb, burning vertically...
Analysis of a Maintenance Fire in a Theatre in Italy
Between November 11 and 12, 2025, a significant fire occurred at the “Ciotolone” Theatre, situated within the esteemed Le Ciminiere...
600.000 Comics Artefacts destroyed in a Fire
On October 1, 2025, a devastating fire broke out at the Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) warehouse in Bhiwandi, a suburb...
Second Fire in two Months in India’s Historic Town
The October 21, 2025 fire at Nainital’s Old London House was the second serious incident within two months at this 162-year-old colonial structure,...
Victorian Mansion demolished by Fire in the UK
Late on the night of 5 October 2025, Shotley Park in County Durham—once a grand Victorian mansion and latterly a...
The Montmedy 2025 strange coincidence fires
Between July 15 and August 12, 2025, two fires devastated historic buildings in Montmédy both of which have a shared...
Saint-Germain Église Fire: Another Historic Religious Site Arson
On September 29, 2025, the historic Église Saint-Germain, situated in La Châtre, Indre, France, suffered damage from a fire. The...
French Historic Castle Damaged by Fire
The Château de Médavy, a historic 18th-century classified monument situated near Argentan in the Orne department of Normandy, sustained severe...
The 2025 Cebu Earthquake: A Call to Action for Seismic Retrofitting of Historic Structures
On September 30, 2025, a devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake reportedly struck Cebu province in the central Philippines, causing extensive structural...
Yemen’s Mud-Brick Palaces among Destruction and Restoration
Yemen’s historic mud-brick palaces and earthen architecture stand as remarkable and ancient built heritage, yet ongoing conflict, environmental damage, and...
Unrests Threatens Indonesian Heritage
Indonesia’s cultural heritage faces a critical crisis. Following the August 2025 mass protests, historic buildings and cultural sites, many repurposed...
Evacuated 30 Years of Archaeological Research in Gaza
In a high-risk, last-minute rescue operation, on September 10, 2025, nearly three decades’ worth of archaeological treasures have been salvaged...
Mount Sinai Mega Resort: Sacred Heritage at Risk amid Ambitious Tourism Boom
The project to build a mega resort on Mount Sinai, a site of profound religious and historical significance, has ignited...
Mosul Grand Mosque reopened after IS devastation
On September 1, 2025, Iraq’s Prime Minister officially reopened the historic al-Nuri Grand Mosque and its iconic leaning minaret, located...
Devastating fire destroyed the “Old London House” in Nainital (India)
A massive fire destroyed the Old London House in Nainital, Uttarakhand, a colonial wooden residence dating back to 1863 and...
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Nantes to reopen after 2020 Arson
After a five-year restoration period, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Nantes is set to reopen its doors to the public on...
Wildfires Threat to Cultural Heritage: The Case of Spain’s Camino de Santiago
Recent wildfires in Spain have highlighted the escalating threat posed by climate change not only to natural ecosystems but also...
National Museum of American History – underground battery fire as a “near miss”
On 14 August 2025 morning, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on the National Mall in Washington, DC, was...
Chapel Badly Damaged in the Cathedral of Cordoba (Spain)
On the evening of August 8, shortly after 9:00 PM, a fire broke out in the Chapel of the Annunciation,...
When Heritage Becomes a Battlefield: The Preah Vihear Temple Case
Recent clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border have exposed the Preah Vihear Temple, an 11th-century Hindu sanctuary and UNESCO site, to...
