Fire engulfs centuries-old pagoda in Hanoi   The fire is seen engulfing the roof of the pagoda A hundreds-year-old pagoda in Hanoi has been severely destroyed as it was engulfed by an hours-long blaze late Friday. The fire broke out and burned through Tinh Lau Pagoda in Tay Ho District at around midnight, and was only extinguished at dawn the next day. The blaze quickly spread all over the altar area of the pagoda, which was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic site in 1996. Firefighters were quickly called to the scene and it took them nearly two hours to extinguish the blaze. “The altar and the surrounding area are made mostly of wood, so the blaze spread very quickly,” Huong, a local resident living nearby, toldTuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. “It took only a few minutes from the time the fire began until it engulfed the pagoda’s roof.” There is no casualty reported and the damage is under estimation. Police are currently working to find out the cause of the fire. Located near the popular West Lake in Tay Ho District, Tinh Lau, also known as Sai pagoda, is also a great tourist attraction of the Vietnamese capital. While it is unclear when exactly the pagoda was built, it is estimated that its establishment dated back to the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225).   TUOI TRE NEWS