Fire rages in Norway heritage village

A large blaze on Sunday raged through a historic village in western Norway, destroying many of its famed 18th- and 19th-century wooden houses and forcing the evacuation of local residents, police said.

The fire in the riverside village of Laerdalsoyri, some 200 kilometres (miles) northwest of Oslo, began in a house on Saturday evening and was still not under control by midday Sunday, fanned by strong winds.

Laerdalsoyri is located in the West Norwegian Fjords area, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The inferno has partially or completely ruined "15 to 30 buildings" in the town, according to a police statement, though there were no reports of serious injuries.

"More than 50 people have been admitted to hospital" for observation or treatment as a result of smoke inhalation, police said. 

Some 300 residents were evacuated from the area, media reports said.