Massive fire destroys museum in Indian capital

Firefighters work to extinguish fire in the building of India's National Museum of Natural History in New Delhi, India, April 26, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW DELHI - A massive fire broke out Tuesday in a multi-storied building in Indian capital city New Delhi, destroying a museum, officials said.

Six firefighters were injured while trying to douse the flames.

The fire broke out early Tuesday and the flames engulfed the building of a trade body (FICCI) housing National Museum of Natural History.

"The fire erupted at the top floor of the building in Mandi House locality at around 1:45 am (local time) and soon spread down to other floors," a police official told media. "The injured firemen have been admitted in RML hospital."

About 40 fire tenders were rushed to douse the blaze. Officials said firefighters struggled for four hours to contain the inferno.

India's minister of Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar visited the site Tuesday morning and described the incident as "unfortunate".

"This is tragic, the museum is a national treasure," Javadekar told media. "The loss cannot be quantified."

A local television news channel NDTV quoting a senior fire official said the building's "fire safety mechanisms were not working".