- Moscow's Novodevichy Convent, a 16th century landmark, caught fire late on Sunday, news reports said.
- Images on social media showed the top part of the 70-meter bell tower covered in flames, engulfing an area of around 300 square meters, news agency Interfax reported early Monday.
- Deputy Culture Minister Grigory Perumov said the extent of the damage was still unknown but that there had been no deaths or injuries in the incident.
- The Novodevichy Convent had been undergoing renovation works since late last year, leading to speculation the fire might have been caused by a breach of safety regulations.
- Perumov seemed to dismiss that theory: according to the deputy minister, employees had finished working on the bell tower 12 hours before the flames appeared and had shut off all electricity outlets before leaving the site.
Fire at the top of Novodevichy tower mostly out but the side is in a bad way. Really hope this is mostly scaffolding. pic.twitter.com/Bvc3MgjJoV- One of Moscow’s most prized tourist attractions, the convent has a rich history and its cemetery is the final resting place for iconic Russian figures such as writers Anton Chekhov, Mikhail Bulgakov and Russian composer Dmitry Shostakovich.
- It is also part of UNESCO's World Heritage List as the most outstanding example of the ‘Moscow Baroque’ architectural style.
- The fire at the popular spot soon became one of the most prominent topics on social media sites.
Fire at #Novodevichy monastery is one of the most debated topics on Twitter here. #Новодевичий #Moscow #Russia pic.twitter.com/v74wgLtN4h- For a short time, some commenters said the Kremlin itself was on fire, going as far as to link it to the disappearance of President Vladimir Putin. But it soon became clear that the flames were actually raging at Novodevichy.
- Instagram, which is particularly popular among Russians, was inundated by dozens and dozens of posts from the scene as eyewitnesses shared their pictures of the fire.
- And as the fire appeared to recede around midnight...
The worst of it looks over. pic.twitter.com/0c1e2lVFdO
Fire definitely lower now. Photo by Rostislav Vylegzhanin. #Novodevichy pic.twitter.com/x8GFtCaR1G- ...the first conspiracy theories also popped up. "Coincidence? I don't think so" reads the caption of this picture making the rounds on Twitter on Sunday night.
- In the text, the Twitter user comments on the fact that the fire broke out on the night Russian state television aired its big documentary on the annexation of Crimea.
После показа фильма с фактическим признанием захвата Крыма в Москве загорелся Новодевичий монастырь. pic.twitter.com/NocIYfnZBp
