Photos: How Longest covered bridge in Asia was destroyed

The longest covered bridge in Asia has been... destroyed after a fire roared through the wooden structure last night.

 

The Feng Yu Covered Bridge, in Chongqing, China, is known throughout the Far East for its traditional beauty topped by a pagoda-style roof that stretched 303 metres across the region's Apeng River.

 

But last night the five-metre-wide crossing, first built in 1591, collapsed into the waters as the blaze turned it to ashes.

Destroyed: The Feng Yu Covered Bridge, in Chongqing, China, was the longest covered bridge in Asia

Wood no good: The bridge was built mainly of wood which fuelled the fire further

Inferno: Last night the five-metre-wide crossing collapsed into the waters as the blaze turned it to ashes

Horror: Onlookers watch in horror as the bridge that had stood for many of their entire lives crumbled in flames

Mystery: Authorities have now launched an investigation into what caused the fire

Firefighters battled through the night in a bid to quell the flames, but by the time they got them under control it was too late.

 

By morning all that was left were its row of charred stone bases surrounded by blackened driftwood floating in the waters.

Authorities have now launched an investigation into what caused the fire.

Ashes: Firefighters battled through the night in a bid to quell the flames, but by the time they got them under control it was too late

Reduced to driftwood: By morning all that was left were its row of charred stone bases surrounded by blackened driftwood floating in the waters

Nothing left: This was all that was left of the bridge by the time the fires subsided

No nails: First built in 1591, the Feng Yu Bridge was constructed entirely of wood without any nails

Dragon Bridge: The bridge has been likened to a dragon and it contains both intricate architectural features as well as artistic carvings

First built in 1591 and also known as the 'Luck Bridge' and 'Flower Bridge,' it was constructed entirely of wood without any nails. 

Destroyed and re-built several times over the centuries - most recently in 1999 when its wooden base was replaced by stone - it has always been the transportation fortress of Hunan-Guizhou highroad as well as a busy place with merchants and tourists.

The bridge has been likened to a dragon and it contains both intricate architectural features as well as artistic carvings.