Antiquities Ministry seeks truth on status of Egyptian artifacts at burned Brazil museum

CAIRO - 3 September 2018: The Antiquities Ministry requested a detailed report by the Foreign Ministry on the status of Egyptian artifacts that were on display at the 200-year-old National Museum in Rio de Janeiro that caught fire late Sunday.

Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Moustafa el Waziri expressed regret over the incident, saying the fire is a fatal loss to humanitarian and historical heritage.

He said the ministry is ready to send experts and cooperate with the museum officials in restoring the priceless artifacts that were damaged in the fire in case it was requested by the Brazilian government.

The fire caused no injuries as it began after it was closed to the public.

The museum, which once served as the residence for the Portuguese royal family, celebrated its 200-year anniversary earlier this year. It contains more than 20 million items in its collection.

According to the museum's website, it has more than 20,000 items related to the history of Brazil and other countries, and that many of its collections came from members of Brazil's royal family.