Fire Heavily Damages 19th Century Russian Cathedral

A fire raged through a 19th century cathedral today, collapsing the main cupola atop the stately church in Russia's former Imperial capital and sending clerics scurrying to save treasured icons.

The fire erupted in the early evening and burned through scaffolding outside the soaring blue central dome of Trinity Cathedral, a duty officer at the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said. The cause was not immediately known.