A massive fire gutted India's National Museum of Natural History in the early hours of Apr. 26, destroying numerous rare specimens of flora and fauna, including a 160-million-year-old dinosaur fossil.
The 38-year-old museum in Delhi focused on the country's plants, animals and mineral wealth. Over 100 firemen worked over several hours to douse the fire, which started on the top floor of the building and swept across the museum. Officials have said that the basic fire safety equipment was not working.
The government has already announced a new natural history museum for Rs 2.25 billion, but many Indians tweeted about losing a part of their childhood after the destruction of the old museum.
WATCH: Fire which broke out at Delhi's Natural History Museum at around 2 am today morning (earlier visuals)https://t.co/ygh6K86G4Y
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 26, 2016
V sad to see Delhi's #NaturalHistoryMuseum destroyed in a fire. Carefully curated but so run-down & forgotten lately pic.twitter.com/hs27T6x1KZ
— Chetan Bhattacharji (@CBhattacharji) April 26, 2016
Precious memories are all that remain(schooltrip@1981).MuseumofNaturalHistory,NewDelhi gutted by afirethismorning pic.twitter.com/bEc6sJqSxM— nirupama kotru (@nirupamakotru) April 26, 2016