Japan's historic Shuri Castle nearly decimated in raging fire: 'We have lost our symbol'

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A fire engulfed Japan’s historic Shuri Castle early Thursday, reducing the UNESCO World Heritage site to smoldering ruins.

Footage seen on public broadcaster NHK showed the bright orange blaze light up the night sky in Naha, the prefectural capital of the southern island of Okinawa, as firefighters battled the flames for nearly 12 hours. Local residents and tourists were seen praying and crying as the castle burned, Reuters reported.

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The fire started in the castle’s main wooden structure and quickly spread to the other buildings. Three large halls and four other structures burned down and collapsed, a fire official said.

Smoke and flames rise from burning Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa. (Jun Hirata/Kyodo News via AP)

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The city’s fire department said exterior sprinkler systems were set up on the castle’s exterior, but not inside the halls that burned down because it was not required under local fire codes, Reuters reported.

While there were no injuries, many citizens still felt a great loss.

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"I feel as if we have lost our symbol," said Naha Mayor Mikiko Shiroma, who led an emergency response team. "I'm shocked."

The burnt-out main building of the castle is seen in the center. (Okinawa Times/Kyodo News via AP)

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The castle is recognized as a cultural symbol of Okinawa’s heritage from the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom that spanned about 450 years from 1429 until 1879, when the island was annexed by Japan.

It is also a symbol of Okinawa's struggle and efforts to recover from World War II. The castle burned down in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa. It was largely restored in 1992 as a national park and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.