-->
Firemen inspect the damage after a fire at the 17th century Hotel Lambert in the Ile Saint Louis in Paris July 10, 2013.
A fire caused serious damage to a 17th century palace in central Paris early on Wednesday, burning away a huge portion of its rooftop just as a costly renovation was near completion.
The Qatari-owned Hotel Lambert on the Ile Saint-Louis island on the River Seine was one of the most well-preserved private mansions in Paris. Its architect Louis Le Vau also designed the Palace of Versailles.
"This is a setback for our historical heritage," Paris Mayor Bernard Delanoe told journalists at the scene.
Firefighters rushed to the mansion at around 1 a.m., struggling for six hours to contain the blaze, which broke out in a hard-to-access area below the rooftop for reasons as yet unknown. No one was injured.
Continue Reading..
