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PHOTOS: Fire at Turin's Royal Horse Yard, an Italian Unesco site

The Local Italy
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PHOTOS: Fire at Turin's Royal Horse Yard, an Italian Unesco site
The burnt-out roof of the Cavallerizza Reale in Turin, a World Heritage site. Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP

A blaze broke out early Monday morning at the Cavallerizza Reale in Turin, part of the northern Italian city's Unesco-listed royal heritage, causing a section of the roof to collapse.

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Six squads were tackling a fire on the roof of the royal horse yard and attempting to stop it reaching any other historic buildings nearby, the Italian fire service said.

By 9:30 am the flames had been contained, but not before part of the roof had fallen in.


Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP

The flames were reported around 7:30 am on Monday, according to reports. It is believed to have started in part of the former stables that is now used as a warehouse and where squatters are known to sleep, La Stampa said.

Though several people are reported to have been inside the building at the time, no one is reported injured. The extent of the damage to the building is not yet known.

Photos showed the roof reduced to charred beams. 


Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP

The Cavallerizza Reale, in the heart of Turin's historic centre, forms part of the network of palaces built for the ruling Savoy family over the 17-18th centuries and today listed as Unesco World Heritage sites.

Originally designed to house the royal stables and host cavalry exercises, the complex has since been adapted into an auditorium, as well as storage areas that have been occupied by squatters for several years.

It was badly damaged by fire once before in August 2014, in a case that was determined to be arson. 


Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP

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