Five medieval mummies were irreparably damaged in a fire in the crypt of a church in Dublin and the water used to extinguish the flames, reported “Reuters”, quoted by NOVA, citing an official at the temple.
The ancient exhibits from the 11th century, kept for hundreds of years in the crypt of the church of "St. Michael" in central Dublin, include the remains of a crusader.
„Mummy City”: The place where the dead refuse to die
An unknown perpetrator broke into the crypt of the temple and started a fire, which was controlled by firefighters, the local Archbishop Jackson told RTE radio.
"The combination of fire and water has caused significant damage to the mummies... To be honest, I don't know the exact extent, but my fear, like others, is that the damage is irreparable,'' the archbishop said and added that the remains are yet to be examined by experts from the National Museum of Ireland to see if anything can be salvaged.
The vicar of the church, David Pierpoint, told RTE he believed the mummies "would not be recoverable.