ST. PETERSBURG, November 6. /TASS/.The firefighting brigade has extinguished the fire in the Central Naval Museum in St. Petersburg downtown, the local press service said on Friday.

Earlier on Friday Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said the museum’s roof was on fire and evacuation was underway.

"The firefighting brigade arrived at 17:30 and managed to liquidate the fire," the statement said. "The museum’s exposition got no damage."

Founded in 1709 under Emperor Peter the Great, fhe museum is one of Russia’s oldest. The 8,000 square meter exposition occupies the former Russian Empire’s naval barracks.