When a fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral in April 2019, people across the globe watched in despair as smoke plumed from one of the world's most recognizable buildings. Sadly, that was not an isolated incident. Through the years, several libraries, museums, palaces and cathedrals have been damaged or destroyed by fire — one of the most dangerous threats facing cultural buildings around the world, says FM Global's report, "It's Time to Protect Our Heritage and Stop Burning It."

Challenge of protecting cultural buildings

Often erected decades or centuries ago, many cultural buildings are constructed with combustible materials, while the artifacts and contents within them also are often composed of flammable materials. Additionally, many buildings are subject to ongoing renovations or repairs, which can spur concerns over loss of authenticity. Pressure to retain the original features of a property has resulted in many modern fire protection systems, such as fire doors and automatic fire protection systems, being viewed as intrusive, says the report. The absence of these systems leaves a void in an already complex, and at-times inadequate, fire prevention and protection strategy for cultural buildings. "The retention of [combustible] features has made these buildings extremely vulnerable to fire, especially during renovation periods when hot work or additional equipment are brought to the building to conduct the repairs," explains FM Global's report. "This means such buildings are susceptible to common ignition sources, and once ignition occurs, a fire will almost inevitably spread to the available combustibles."

Fires around the world

In the past five years, several fires have taken place at cultural heritage sites globally, many occurring at properties in the U.K., FM Global explains. In 2015, a fire at the 18^th-century mansion Clandon Park House destroyed thousands of historic items. The Glasgow School of Art, pictured in the slideshow above, experienced two fires within a few years' time. The first occurred in 2014, which severely damaged the building. Then in 2018, a second fire broke out during renovation, emphasizing the serious risk renovations can bring to these at-risk sites.