Beijing 2008 table tennis venue catches fire

BEIJING, July 2 (Reuters) The Peking University gymnasium, under construction to host the table tennis tournament at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, caught fire this morning, state media reported.

Police received an emergency call at 8:14 a.m. (0014 GMT) and 17 fire engines had arrived at the university campus in the northwest of the Chinese capital to fight the fire, Xinhua news agency reported.

The fire was still burning some two hours later. No information was yet available on casualties or the cause of the blaze, the report added.

Construction of the domed 26,900 square metre gymnasium, one of 11 new venues being built for next year's Games, started in September 2005 and was scheduled for completion next month.

it is due to host an Olympic test event in December.

REUTERS RL KP0821