STOCKHOLM — A major fire raced through a historic village famous for its well-preserved wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, destroying at least 23 buildings, officials said Sunday.
Municipal officials in Laerdal, in western Norway, said 52 people were hospitalized with light injuries and hundreds were evacuated.
They said the fire destroyed 16 homes, as well as industrial buildings, community centers, and vacation homes. It also ruined at least three buildings in a protected area of the village of Laerdalsoyri.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the fire, which started Saturday night.
Fire officials said the ruins were still smoking on Sunday, hours after the blaze was contained, and they warned that it could flare up again.
Parts of Laerdalsoyri are on the Unesco World Heritage list and are prominent tourist destinations.