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In pictures: Brazil national museum in flames

News imageEPA A general view of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, one of the oldest in Brazil, as it is consumed by flames due to a major fire, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2 September 2018.EPA
The blaze broke out late on Sunday evening, and firefighters have been unable to bring it under control.
News imageReuters A fire burns at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 2 September 2018.Reuters
The fire lit up the night sky, and sent plumes of smoke over the city of Rio de Janeiro.
News imageEPA A firefighter walks in front of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, one of the oldest in Brazil, as it is consumed by flames due to a major fire, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2 September 2018.EPA
No injuries have been reported, but valuable national treasures were contained inside, and there are fears that many may be lost.
News imageReuters A firefighter rescues items during a fire at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2 September 2018.Reuters
Firefighters have been desperately trying to retrieve items of cultural and historical significance from inside the burning building.
News imageReuters A worker rescues items during a fire at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 2 September 2018Reuters
Among them were 20,000 items related to the history of Brazil and other countries, with many collections coming from members of Brazil's royal family.
News imageReuters People rescue items during a fire at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 2 September 2018.Reuters
The museum also housed artefacts from Egypt, Greco-Roman art and some of the first fossils found in Brazil. It includes important dinosaur bones and a 12,000-year-old human skeleton of a woman - the oldest ever found in the Americas.
News imageReuters A policeman clears the area during a fire at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 2 September2018.Reuters
"This is a cultural tragedy," the director of the National Museum told Brazil's Globo TV.
News imageReuters A fire blazes at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 2 September 2018Reuters
"Two hundred years of work and research and knowledge are lost," Brazilian President Michel Temer said. It is not yet known how the fire began.