The Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona was evacuated due to a fire

Barcelona - The famous Art Nouveau temple Sagrada Familia (dedicated to the Holy Family) in Barcelona, in the northeast of Spain, was evacuated this morning due to a fire in the sacristy. However, the fire was quickly extinguished, and four people had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The fire was deliberately set, and a man suspected of arson has been detained. He appears to be a mentally disturbed individual, and his motive is currently unclear. This was reported by the Reuters agency.
    "There was more smoke than fire. The fire was less serious than we initially thought," stated a spokesperson for the Barcelona City Hall, as quoted by the AFP agency. He added that 1,700 visitors from the temple and its surroundings were evacuated as a precaution.
    The fire was deliberately set in the sacristy. The perpetrator ignited vestments and other religious garments that priests leave there after services. According to preliminary reports, the sacristy was significantly damaged by glowing embers.
    Visitors to the still unfinished temple raised the alarm and alerted the police about a fleeing man, approximately 65 years old. The police then apprehended the apparent arsonist, who is believed to be a mentally disturbed individual, said Joan Rigol, the head of the Sagrada Familia association, to Catalan television TV3. Investigators found a lighter and a solid fire starter on the man, a product suitable for starting a fire.
    At the time of the evacuation, there were about 3,000 people in the temple or in its immediate vicinity, said Catalan media. The police also cleared three streets in the immediate vicinity of the church to allow firefighters and rescuers free passage. By the middle of the afternoon, however, the adjacent streets and basilica were reopened to the public.
    The temple was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI at the beginning of last November during his visit to Barcelona as a basilica, meaning a church of ecclesiastical significance. Services are held there, even though it is still not fully completed.
    The work of the famous Spanish architect Antonio Gaudí (1852-1926) has always attracted attention for its extraordinary "stalactite" style and natural motifs, which derive from an original conception of Art Nouveau. The foundation stone of the most visited temple in Spain (which attracts about two million visitors each year) was laid in 1882. The unique building is so complicated and has been interrupted by disastrous historical events, such as the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, that despite the efforts of the Catalan authorities, it is only now nearing completion after 130 years since its inception. The Sagrada Familia association is tasked with completing this unique building.