A devastating fire has gutted the interior of the historic Teatro Sannazaro in the Italian city of Naples, destroying much of the 19th-century venue, officials said on Tuesday.
The blaze is believed to have started in an apartment building in the upscale Chiaia district, before rapidly spreading to the nearby wood-framed theatre. The fire caused the theatre’s domed roof to collapse and left the plush stalls and tiers of gilded boxes severely damaged.
“Very little of the theatre remains,” Naples fire commander Giuseppe Paduano told reporters. “Inside there are still some small hotspots that we will extinguish shortly. As for the causes, it’s still too early to say.”
Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi said initial indications suggested the fire began accidentally.
Residents reported that thick smoke blanketed the neighbourhood from dawn. Authorities evacuated 22 families from nearby buildings as a precaution.
Four people were taken to hospital after inhaling smoke, but officials said there were no deaths or serious injuries.
Arriving at the scene, Mayor Manfredi described the loss as “a great sorrow” and “a deep wound” to Naples’ history and cultural identity.
Teatro Sannazaro first opened in 1847 and has hosted many of Italy’s most celebrated actors, playwrights, and performers. Its current programme includes classical musical recitals and touring stage productions.
Manfredi said the city would work closely with the theatre’s owners to support reconstruction, adding that Italy’s central government would also help fund rebuilding efforts.
Italy has seen similar cultural losses in past decades. Venice’s famed Fenice opera house was destroyed by fire in 1996 and reopened in 2003 after major reconstruction.
The Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari was also destroyed in a 1991 blaze and reopened in 2009.
Both of those fires were later found to have been caused by arson.